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Customs Points to Go Digital

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Customs Points to Go Digital
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August 12: The government has decided to digitalise 10 major customs points in a bid to customs clearance procedures. The policy decision was made to digitalise the chief customs offices on the very day when Deputy Prime minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara was appointed as the Finance Minister. In the first phase, Mechi Customs Office and Birgunj Dryport will be equipped with the digital system.

 Organising a seminar on customs management held on Thursday, the Customs Department informed that it will initiate necessary procedures to install digital system in other points across the country within the current fiscal year.   

The department has plans to place advanced X-ray machines in customs point, installation of modern technology in Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), implementing strict measures to control smuggling, easing policy and administrative difficulties, enhancing the capacity of staffs of customs offices and strengthening northern border and customs point. The meeting stressed on the problems created due to the traditional customs procedure. As per the demands of the industrialists and entrepreneurs, all the customs point will be working like an international customs point.

"Digitalising the customs point can bring transparency and make the procedures easy and efficient," said Mahara, adding, "The initiative should be taken from all the sectors for economic growth in Nepal." According to Rajan Khanal who is the Revenue Secretary said that business costs are the basis point of customs improvement. Similarly, Shishir Kumar Dhungana, Director General of the Department mentioned that the department will work on expansion of services based on information technology and start the practice of easy checking and clearance system.

Likewise, Pashupati Murarka, President of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) said that the government has to increase inspection to tackle the low billing. "As many obstacles are faced during classification, to prevent the conflicts the government, should do supervision on the matter." He opined that the people are forced to pay demurrage charge due to untimely checking and clearance.

According to the statistics of the department, the Customs Department contributes 45.98 per cent of the total revenue. Among the Value Added Tax (VAT) collected in the country, the share of customs is 61 per cent while 47.9 per cent is raised from excise duties. The department collected Rs 1.94 billion revenue in the FY 2072/73. The collected amount is 94.66 per cent of the target and 10.66 per cent more than FY 2071/72.

 

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