KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat has directed the customs officials to work dutifully and produce results.
Addressing the Customs Management Seminar organized by the Department of Customs here today, he directed the customs officials to give utmost priority to their responsibility.
“I don’t mean to say the traders involved in the import and export business be given unnecessary hassles. You know what the right things are, but these are not being implemented. I want to draw your attention toward that,” the Finance Minister said.
Stating the Ministry of Finance under his leadership is effortful in carrying out work in a transparent manner, he instructed the responsible officials to carry out their work seriously. “Let us start the culture of working in a responsible and accountable manner,” he reiterated.
According to the Finance Minister, revenue has fallen due to many reasons and the Customs Department is not fully at fault for this. Serious discussions have been held with the security bodies as well for stopping the leakage of revenue, he said, and urged the customs officials to monitor it in coordination between both the security bodies and the customs officers.
“Revenue collection has dropped in many customs checkpoints. There is news of revenue leakage from these check posts. The same is the case at Bhairahawa, Birgunj, and Rasuwa checkpoints. Please take this matter seriously,” the Finance Minister told the customs officials.
Noting it was unfortunate that the income has decreased to the extent of not even covering the general expenditures, he said the political leadership has paid high attention to the present situation.
“The political leadership is serious on this matter. No stone will be left unturned from our side to address the problems where they are keeping this seriousness in mind,” he said.
Finance Minister Dr. Mahat urged the customs officers to pay attention to the matter of the industrialists and businessmen facing unnecessary hassles and difficulties, saying the political leadership, including himself, was serious about this.
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