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Likely to miss target, govt puts pressure on traders to pay customs immediately

Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada

Kathmandu, January 13

Apparently fearing that it is unlikely to meet the revenue collection target set for the first half of the current fiscal year, the government has put pressure on auto traders to pay customs for their imports and take their vehicles off the customs points immediately.

The first half of the fiscal year is ending on Monday.

Though the government has defended that it has ‘requested’ the traders to clear the duty at the earliest following existing laws, traders say they had never experienced such pressure in the past.

Officials also claim the government is not much away from its target of Rs 192 billion. Director General at the Department of Customs, Toyam Ray, says the government has already collected Rs 185 billion.

A trader, on the condition of anonymity, says the businesspersons are ready to cooperate with the government. He, however, says they too are in problem due to the liquidity crunch at banks.

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