Import-export disruption costs Rs 2 billion revenue loss
Birgunj, Jan 22: The disruption of import-export via Birgunj – Nepal’s only dry port connected to Indian railway network – has cost the revenue loss of over Rs 2 billion.
With the standstill of import and export, the dry port customs office saw whopping deficit of revenue in the first five months of the fiscal year. The operation of dry port has been brought to grinding halt owing to the shutdown and disruption of border-based supply enforced by Madhes-based political parties for the past five months.
According to the dry port customs office, the revenue deficit during the period from mid-August 2015 to mid-January 2016 stood at around Rs 2.241 billion.
However, the revenue collection during the last month of the period (mid-December to mid-January) increased by around 19 per cent of its monthly target. The revenue collection target set for the month was over Rs 1.431 billion but the collection exceeded the target record with Rs 1.701 billion.
The revenue collection saw the rise when the trade was centralized on the dry port after the disruption of the country’s main checkpoint Birgunj customs office due to protracted shutdown enforced by Madhes-centric parties.