B.P. Srivastava, Commissioner, Central Excise Commissionerate Delhi-III, distributed the Certificate of Honour (Samman Patra) to Hero Honda, Indian Oil Corporation, Parle Biscuits, Enrich Agro Beverages and Bar Malt for their excellent performances and for being good assessees.

Highlighting the importance of the Central excise duty in the development of a country like India, Srivastava said that the revenue from Central excise duties had risen from Rs 50 crore in 1947-48 to Rs 47,000 crore during the last financial year. This year, the Commissionerate expects to collect Rs 53,000 crore, he said. The Commissionerate had collected a record revenue of Rs 2,250 crore in 1997-98,the second-higest collection by any Commissionerate in the country.