Finance Minister instructs customs officials to work honestly

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 11: Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat has instructed the employees of the Department of Customs to fulfill their responsibilities by being honest and disciplined. He made this remark while addressing a seminar on Customs Management on Monday.

Dr. Mahat said, “I did not come to the Ministry of Finance to add to the beauty of the ministry. Let’s solve the problems facing the economy by working together with the political leadership, employees and industrialists.”

“Now the revenue mobilisation has decreased. I am not saying that the employees are to blame for the decrease in revenue. There are various reasons for the decline in revenue mobilisation. We should all self-evaluate how much we are responsible. In recent times, smuggling has increased, this has not happened from a route far away from the customs. The smuggling has happened from the vicinity of the customs border, this is a serious matter,” he said.

According to the report provided by the Department of Customs to the ministry, the customs duty has decreased by 28 per cent, he said, adding that the report showed the composition of the volume of various customs checkpoints and who has contributed to the reduction of customs duty.

“Customs duty from Bhairahawa customs has decreased the most. 44 per cent. I have already told the Customs chief there, I see the need for a serious discussion with him after he comes here,” he said.

Finance Minister Dr. Mahat said that the customs revenue from Tribhuvan Airport has also decreased a lot.

“There have also been reports of leaks. A lot of customs revenue has also decreased from Birgunj and Rasuwa crossings. You should take it seriously. There is no other basis for evaluation for me. Work dutifully and show results,” he said.

Stating that during the meeting with the concerned bodies at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, they instructed security agencies to stop the customs leakages.

He said that customs leakage should be stopped in coordination with security agencies and customs officials.