Govt to further the process of Revenue Board

Lalitpur, Jan. 26: Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel Tuesday said that the government was ready to discuss about the further process of establishing the Central Revenue Board (CRB).

Addressing a special programme organized by the Department of Customs (DoC) on the occasion of 64^th International Customs Day, Minister Paudel stated that if the formation of board could address the problems in the revenue sector, then the government would expedite the process in coordination with the private sector and other stakeholders.

It's been more than 6 years since the idea of CRB was floated.

The government had formed a high-level committee to advise on the formation of CRB in 2009. Then Finance Minister Surendra Pandey had announced to form CRB in his budget speech for the fiscal year 2009-10.

When former finance secretary Krishna Hari Baskota, who is also chief commissioner of the Information Commission, demanded the government move further the process of establishing an autonomous CRB, Minister Paudel announced to initiate discussion about the Board.

He informed that the present supply crisis would not stay long.

"The demands of the agitating forces have been fulfilled with the first amendment of the constitution and we hope that the disruptions at the Nepal-India border will end soon."

According to him, the government had lost about Rs. 52 billion in revenue in the past 4 months.

Baskota suggested the government using at least 1 per cent of the total revenue collected to distribute incentives to the staff of the DoC and build custom infrastructure.

"Probably, Nepal is the country that has poorest custom infrastructure in the world," he said.

Director General of the DoC Shirshir Kumar Dhungana informed that the department had various reform plans on the cards.

"We will soon adopt the ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) Automated System for Customs Data online system in the customs. Likewise, a work procedure for clearing the relief materials swiftly is on the final stage."

The department launched ASYDUDA World and Revenue Exemption Module under Nepal Customs Automation System (NECAS).

It also expanded the IP (internet protocol) camera to different customs. With this expansion, nine customs offices are under the direct surveillance of the IP camera.

Finance Minister Paudel inaugurated those services and released customs song – written by Ram Hari Aryal, composed by Shakti Ballav and sung by Sumit Khadka and Rita KC.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Pashupati Murarka said that the new technology adopted by the DoC would facilitate the traders and whole business community would be benefitted by it.

He appreciated the department for its cooperation and coordination with the private sector to ease the import and export of goods during the blockade and stressed for a strong cooperation between the FNCCI and DoC in order to reduce the non-tariff expenses.

President of Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) Narendra Basnyat suggested to involve the private sector in the customs reform process.

The department felicitated the FNCCI, its former director generals Tika Dutta Niraula and Ran Bahadur Shrestha, employee Ram Dutta Bhatta and journalist of Karobar Daily Mohan Gurung on the occasion.