Birgunj. The Birgunj Customs Office, which collects the highest revenue in the country, has been disrupted for two days due to the demonstration and agitation by the ‘Genji’ group.

The office, which collects an average of Rs 720 million in revenue on a daily basis, almost came to a standstill for two days on Tuesday and Wednesday. The customs clearance process for essential petroleum products and medical goods has started from Thursday.

Chief Customs Administrator Bishnu Prasad Gyawali said that the office has suffered no loss of life and property due to the agitation. “Customs clearance was almost halted for two days on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the demonstration and agitation by the Genji Group,” he said, adding that the inspection of essential petroleum products, gas bullets and medical products was carried out on Thursday. On Thursday alone, around Rs 100 million customs revenue was collected. ’

Chief Customs Administrator Gyawali informed that the process of clearance of essential goods has been forwarded since this morning. He said that even if it takes some time to get back to the previous state, regular work will be done.

Chief Customs Administrator Gyawali said that customs clearance process for essential goods, industrial goods and goods going to Bara and Parsa will be started from Friday. “We have kept the cargo coming to our integrated check post and dry port safe. ’

“We are ready to send all kinds of goods if the local administration ensures the security of the goods including the goods that have passed the inspection,” he said, adding, “Now some suppliers are coming to the customs office to start the customs clearance process of their goods.” ’

The Department of Customs had set a target of collecting Rs 218.95 billion in revenue in the fiscal year 2081÷82 BS but it collected 80.35 per cent of the target, or Rs 175.93 billion. However, the office had set a target of collecting revenue of Rs 245.88 billion in the previous fiscal year 2080÷81. During the period, only Rs 157.40 billion was collected in revenue.

The Department had set a target of collecting revenue of Rs 60.04 billion for the dry port customs office in the fiscal year 2081÷82. During the period, Rs 49.82 billion was collected in revenue.

In the last fiscal year, the department had set a revenue target of Rs 65.94 billion for the dry port, but it has collected Rs 47.31 billion. The service has been started since July 1 of the current fiscal year by merging the Customs Office and the Dry Port Customs Office. The two customs offices have collected Rs 18.39 billion in revenue in the first six months of the current fiscal year.

According to the office, 87.68 per cent of the target revenue has been collected in the first month of the current fiscal year. The government had set a target of collecting Rs 20.98 billion revenue for the fiscal year 2018-19. The office collected Rs 15.92 billion in revenue in the first six months of the last fiscal year. At that time, the revenue collection target was set at Rs 273.39 billion.