Birgunj. Birgunj Customs Office and Dry Port Customs Office, which contribute the most to the country’s revenue coffers, have significantly increased revenue collection in the last fiscal year.

The Birgunj Customs Office had set a revenue collection target of Rs 218.95 billion in the fiscal year 2081/82 BS, but it collected 80.35 per cent of the target or Rs 175.93 billion during the same period.

Deepak Lamichhane, chief customs administrator at birgunj customs office, said the revenue collection has increased by rs 18÷.5 billion in the fiscal year 2081/82 BS as compared to the fiscal year 2080/81 BS. “There has been a significant increase in revenue collection in the last fiscal year,” he said, adding, “Import of petroleum products and vehicles is the main part of the revenue collection here.” ’

The Birgunj Customs Office had set a target of collecting Rs 245.88 billion in the fiscal year 2080/81 BS. During the same period, the office collected only Rs 157.40 billion in revenue, or 64.1 percent of the target. Another dry port customs office in Birgunj has also collected Rs 49.82 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year. The Customs Department had set a target of collecting Rs 60.04 billion revenue during the year.

The Department of Customs had set a target of collecting Rs 65.94 billion revenue to the Dry Port Customs Office in the fiscal year 2080/81 BS. During the same period, the office collected 71.75 percent of the annual target i.e. Rs 47.31 billion in revenue

Chief Customs Administrator Lamichhane shared that both the customs offices in Birgunj have collected a total revenue of Rs 225.95 billion in the last fiscal year. “The total customs revenue collected across the country is Rs 484 billion, out of which the overall share of the two customs offices here is 46 per cent,” he said. ’

Senior Vice-President of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Madhav Rajpal said that revenue collection has increased in the last fiscal year due to some ease in the economy compared to the previous fiscal year. “There has been some improvement in revenue collection as the economy is showing some signs of improvement,” he said, adding, “The problem of consumption remains the same as nepal’s economy is import-oriented.” ’

Senior Vice-President Rajpal said that nepal and India have 1,700 kilometers of open border, but it is difficult to achieve the target despite informal imports. “Our revenue targets are kept much larger than the actual ones, which makes it difficult to easily achieve the target,” he said, adding, “It has become necessary for the state to focus on improving the country’s economy by creating an investment-friendly environment.” ’

Senior Vice-President Rajpal said that all the bodies should now work hand-in-hand to revive the country’s sluggish economy as both imports and exports have increased in that fiscal year as compared to the past.