Customs dept plans to reopen 34 trade points
KATHMANDU, DEC 07:
It is an irony that the UCPN-Maoist-led government has started the process to reopen at least 34 sub-customs offices, which they themselves had forcefully closed down during the decade-long armed conflict.
Out of the 143 sub-customs offices, only 57 sub- customs offices have been providing customs services, said director general at Department of Customs Mukti Narayan Paudel, adding that the department has realised the need to open 34 more sub-customs offices.
The process to reopen them, however, is not easy.
The government will raise the issue in the upcoming Inter Governmental Committee (IGC) meeting with India, he said, adding that India needs to provide consent to reopen those customs points.
All 143 sub-customs offices are not necessary, said Paudel. “But at least 92 sub-customs offices should be reopened to control smuggling of goods and ensure easy export-import between Nepal and India.”
India must also open customs offices in its territory for us to reopen all sub-customs offices because the Indian government too needs to manage necessary arrangements to keep a record of export-import and customs clearance, according to Paudel.
However, the Indian government has also proposed an idea of keeping security forces in bordering areas to control smuggling instead of reopening the sub-customs offices, he informed.
India is a key trading partner of Nepal, and more systematic trading between the two South Asian neighbours will ensure not only a rise in revenue but also control the ballooning informal trade that is as big as the formal economy. But security has also been a key issue along the Nepal-India border as the porous border has been misused by illegal traders.
The department has initiated the process of taking consent from concerned stakeholders to reopen sub-customs offices, but it is the forthcoming IGC meeting that will take a final decision on the matter, according to Paudel.
Currently, the department has forwarded the document to the Ministry of Law, Justice, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs for consent, he added.
The document will be forwarded to the cabinet through the Finance Ministry once the Ministry of Law, Justice, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs gives its consent.
Currently, there are 31 main customs offices across the country — 26 in districts bordering India and five along the Chinese border — and 57 sub-customs offices. But the need to open more customs offices has been felt as trade between Nepal and India has been increasing every year.
Source: THT
