Kathmandu, July 18, 2018: In the fiscal year 2017/18, Birgunj Customs Office, mobilized Rs 161 billion in revenue under different headings. It also included revenue collected by Dry Port Customs Office.
Birgunj Customs office is the largest customs point of the country. However, the offices failed to meet the revenue target given by the government for the fiscal year. The total revenue of Rs. 131 billion was collected but the Dry Port Customs Office mobilized Rs 27.33 billion. In FY2016/17, Birgunj Custom Office had collected Rs 134.39 billion. The import of iron, motor vehicles and other raw materials, were the major source of revenue in the last fiscal year.
According to Santosh Yadav, information officer at Birgunj Customs Office, around 40 percent of revenue was mobilized from import of motor vehicles and 15 percent was collected from import of petroleum products. “We have achieved 98 percent of the target given by the government. Motor vehicles, petroleum products and medicines are our major sources of revenue,” says Mr. Santosh.
On the other hand, the traders are of the view that revenue mobilization by the Dry Port Customs Office was affected due to implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) by the Indian government. In addition, the mandatory requirement for Indian traders to produce Bill of Export for Indian traders to export goods to Nepal also created procedural hassles for Nepali importers.
Om Prakash Sharma, president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, “It is becoming difficult for traders to trade via ICP. It is not only making customs process lengthy but also increasing our cost of doing business.
