Kathmandu, Jan.
25:
The Federation of
Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) on Friday welcomed the
Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) at the Kolkata/Haldia port in India
which the governments of Nepal and India are preparing to launch from February
15.
"The FNCCI
welcomes the move to replace the paper-based documentation system with the ECTS
while clearing the third country goods bound to Nepal and carried via railway
from the Kolkata Port," said the business body at a press conference
organised at its secretariat.
It appreciated
the efforts of the governments of Nepal and India in implementing the new
system.
According to the
FNCCI, it will play an important role in the import-export trade and the railway
transportation of the goods from Kolkata to Birgunj will be reduced to four to
five days instead of more than a month as of now.
FNCCI senior
vice-president Shekhar Golchha said that the new provision was necessary for
the national pride as well.
Nepali importers
have to submit about 10 documents and move to two dozen tables to clear their
cargo at the Kolkata Port.
"The new
system will bring tremendous changes in the country's import-export trade and
cost of doing business will also go down significantly. The goods will directly
come to Birgunj Dry Port from Kolkata," said Golchha.
Nepali importers
will get relief from the delay in transportation, detention and demurrage with
the implementation of electronic tracking. They will save at least Rs. 40,000
per container.
FNCCI's Land, Transport
and Transit Committee chairperson Ashok Kumar Temani termed the ECTS as a happy
thing happened to Nepali economy.
He claimed that
about Rs. 3 billion would be saved which Nepali traders were paying for the clearing,
detention and demurrage.
According to a
study, the transportation cost in China and the USA is 5-6 per cent of the
goods' price, in India 18-20 per cent and in Nepal 38-40 per cent.
Chairperson of
FNCCI's Export Promotion Committee Prakash Singh Karki said that the new system
will have positive impact on Nepal's export business.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 January 2019. 
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