Mechinagar. Chief District Officer of Jhapa, Bandhu Prasad Bastola, has said that even though the relevant parties are making tireless efforts to control revenue leakage, open border is the main challenge.
He said this while being the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the 72nd International Customs Day organized by the Mechi Customs Office on Friday.
“In order to prevent loss of revenue, a state-of-the-art system has been implemented in customs,” said Bastola, who is also the district chairman of the Revenue Leakage Control Committee, “However, control efforts have not been effective with the district’s 144 km open border.”
Mentioning that in the traditional import-based economy, the main source of revenue has been the customs until now, he said that Mechi Customs has become export-oriented rather than import-oriented.
Bastola stressed on the need to focus on creating an environment that would benefit the businessmen and not to scatter the revenue, and said that there is no alternative for all parties to be responsible for the promotion of the country’s revenue.
Nima Lhamu Sherpa, Assistant Commissioner of India Naxalbadi Customs Division, who was a special guest at the ceremony, pointed out the need for intensive discussions on issues such as resolving import-export issues between the two countries and increasing revenue on both sides.
Keshavraj Pandey, former central member of Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opined that while Nepal’s customs are developing in a modern manner, the conduct of all concerned parties should also improve.
“Even after paying customs, the price of goods is 30 percent cheaper in Nepal than in India,” said Pandey, who is also the acting chairman of Nepali Congress Jhapa, “However, there is a situation of importing from the wrong way, this is also one of the reasons for the relatively low revenue.”
Umesh Dalmiya, a central member of the federation, argued that the revenue collection has decreased due to the relevant price policy and emphasized that Billwijk should be recognized by removing this policy.
Omkrishna Bimli, district president of the Chamber of Commerce, said that due to some policy problems, the revenue has decreased and the customs has been affected, and said that the promotion of indigenous products will contribute to the increase in revenue.
On this occasion, Mukti Paudel, President of Mechi Community Service Center, praised the work done by Mechi Customs in various areas of the society under the social responsibility on Customs Day.
Referring to the closing ceremony, Customs honored journalists Mukti Paudel, Lakshmi Upreti and Ambika Bhandari for writing on issues related to the border area and customs.
Similarly, Sharanraj Bhattarai, the head of Nepal Oil Corporation Charali Branch, which registered the highest revenue last year, Vishal Gupta, the executive head of Aarti Stripes Pvt. Tankisinuvari Morang, which exported the highest value of goods last year, and Nepal Everest Cardamom Production and Processing Pvt. Ltd., which exported the highest value of agricultural goods last year.
Similarly, Keshavraj Pandey, Proprietor of Evergreen Trade Center and Shyam Rizal, Computer Operator of Mechi Customs, who were awarded by the Customs Department, were honored with certificates of honor.
Computer Officer Chandra Bahadur Chhetri, Naib Subba Laxman Tamang and Rita Khawas Karki, office assistant of Bhadrapur Customs were honored on the occasion.
Mechi Community Service Center and Trans Nepal Freight Services Pvt. Ltd., which organized and coordinated the Mechi city-level inter-maverick rhetoric competition, were given certificates of appreciation as part of the targeted week-long program on the day.
Similarly, Rotary Club of Kakarvitta, which sponsors and manages the blood donation program, Mechi Industry and Commerce Association, which coordinates and sponsors the interaction between the stakeholders, Mechi, which manages and coordinates the district-level open badminton competition.
Mavi’s Usha Niraula was presented with a certificate of appreciation with 5, 4 and 3 thousand rupees respectively.
Similarly, Chanakya Pathak and Utsav Upreti of Birtamod who won the first place, Deepak Ghimire and Vishan Rai of Mechinagar who won the second place and Prakash Rai and Suden Rai of Damak and Kushal Basnet and Junun Rai of Damak who won the third place were awarded certificates with 25, 15 and 5 thousand rupees respectively.
In the concluding program, former chief of Mechinagar Municipality Bimal Acharya, DSP Deepak Bharti of Police Office Kankarvitta of ILA, Deputy Superintendent of Armed Police of proposed Gana Kankarvitta Birendra Khanal, Chief of Revenue Investigation Office Itahari Khemraj Ojha, Chief Tax Officer of Inland Revenue Office Bhadrapur Krishna Chandra Kafle, Chief of District Police Office and Police Deputy Superintendent Durgaraj Regmi, Armed Police Force 2 no. Armed Police Superintendent Devraj Aryal of Gana Head Quarter Jhapa, Mechi Industry and Commerce Association
Bhadrapur Customs Officer Amit Tiwari and Mechi Customs Deputy Subba VP Koirala conducted the operation.
Addressing the closing program, Chief Customs Officer Regmi expressed his gratitude to all those who helped to complete the week-long program in a decent, grand and orderly manner.
