By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Mar. 15: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has said that provision of margin for import has been imposed to solve the challenges seen in the national economy.
Addressing a seminar on customs management organised at the Department of Customs on Sunday, Finance Minister Sharma directed to collect revenue as per the target by working hard even though the tightening of imports have affected the customs revenue.

"There is a challenge in the country's economy at the moment. To address this, we have set a margin on imports of certain commodities," he said. "This situation has also affected customs. But, it won’t be kept forever. This situation forced us to keep a margin for imports. As soon as the situation becomes normal, the customs system will work regularly.”
He said he believed that the seminar would be effective in resolving the problems seen in the customs office, facing new challenges created by the policy, being effective in revenue mobilisation and playing a significant role in trade facilitation.

He also directed to find a solution through a seminar as the businessmen are dissatisfied with the classification system in the import of goods.
Finance Minister Sharma informed that a guideline on vehicle scanning used in customs offices is being prepared and will be implemented soon.
He directed all the employees to move ahead in revenue mobilisation by facilitating trade.

He expressed happiness over the mobilisation of customs revenue more than the target by mid-February.
On the occasion, Finance Minister Sharma expressed happiness over the improvement in exports.
The share of exports in total foreign trade has reached 10 per cent.

“We have exported goods and services worth Rs. 131 billion by mid-February," he said. "But we should not stop there. We need to become self-sufficient one day by increasing our share of export at the rate of 10 per cent every year.”

Deputy director general of the Department of Customs Ananda Kafle said that despite the tightening of imports, around Rs. 308 billion customs duty had been collected by mid-February of the current fiscal year. The target of revenue by mid-February of the current fiscal year was Rs. 305 billion.

This is 29 per cent more than the same period last year.