India Budget 2013 - Making fun on international travellers with antiquated laws on Gold

You may have seen my views on the dated laws of India here. So Finance minister became sympathetic(?) and generously increased the duty free gold limit.

So now a male passenger can carry Gold worth INR 50,000 or INR 100,000 if it's female passenger. So India allows people(A country with extremely Gold obsession) to travel with 15 Grams or 30 Grams of Gold.

The problem with Indian laws is it still thinks as if we are in 1940's or 50's. It's more like a pseudo socialist policies that's killing the economy. The babu's think that by creating this kind of laws, they are benefiting the poor. Reality is this is where the problems happening with middle class and the masses are getting frustrated. Gov itself gives many means to make money via corruption.

Would be interesting to see how it'll end up when the Minister travels with his family.

Image Source: The Hindu

Indian antiquated custom laws - Creating negative impression at the very first step.

Can you believe that you (if you are person of Indian origin, or Indian national or at times a human being) may end up paying "custom tax" on your engagement ring or gold chain when you enter India ?

Indian government introduced recently a law (40 years old law) which states allows a man to carry gold worth INR 10,000 and women to carry INR 20,000. So as per the current prices it turns out 3.5 gms and 7.1 gms for men & women. When this law introduced then the gold price was INR 88. So it used to allow more than 100 gms / men & 200 gms/women.

I am not asking for legally allowing to bring gold but after facing a "harassment from Indian customs" during my recent trip I am stunned now. I was stopped because my ring is more than 8 grams and I was asked to pay tax.

It shows again that there is no commonsense when it comes to Indian bureaucratic system and it simply works based on the whims and whits of some idiots sitting at top and some barbarians trying to ransack you officially @ customs.

The solution given by one of my friend was "to pay" or "to ask for a custom certification while leaving India". Apparantly this was mentioned in the website but no details given. When I requested the Customs officer he was dumb folded and he doesn't even know there is something that exists. So after spending couple of hours in one of the most expensive Airport in world (New Delhi) I left the country with a bitter taste.

The website and text is pasted for quick reference. If you manage to get it done or knows the procedure please share so the rest of folks can save their hard earned money.

http://www.cbec.gov.in/travellers.htm

OUT GOING PASSENGERS

          All the passengers leaving India by Air are subject to clearance by Custom Authorities. Only bonafide baggage is allowed to be cleared by passengers. There is a procedure prescribed whereby the passengers leaving India can take the export certificate for the various high value items as well as jewellery from the Customs authorities. Such an export certificate comes handy while bringing back the things to India so that no duty is charged on such goods exported by the passenger.