Monday, June 6, 2016

Nepal to ask India not to open Integrated Check Post yet

Nepal has started a diplomatic process to request India not to operationalise the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Raxual on the Indian side as it could increase Nepal's cost of trade, and ‘complicate’ trade between the two countries.
“We wrote a letter on Sunday requesting India to wait for completion of the ICP on the Nepal side,” according to Commerce Ministry officials. The Customs Department, Commerce Ministry and the Supplies Ministry have discussed the implications of operationalisation of the ICP on the Indian side and its impact on Nepal’s trade. “Even the Office of the Prime Minister has been looking into the issue,” the officials added.
The Raxual-Birgunj customs is the key customs point for Nepal, accounting for over 60 per cent of Nepal’s international trade.
The unilateral operation of Indian side of ICP that is aimed at providing all the services required for export-import trade, including customs, immigration, quarantine and banking, through an integrated one window on either side of the border has made the trade more difficult for the Nepali traders.
The operationalisation of the ICP on the Indian side, which is some 13 km from the current customs office, is going to hurt Nepal’s trade, according to traders. They also have expressed serious concern over India starting operations at its new ICP at Raxual.
Claiming that trading through the new ICP may hit trade through the Raxaul-Birgunj customs point until such time as the ICP on the Nepal side is completed, they said, requesting India to wait for the completion of the ICP at the Nepali side. The Indian authorities have, however, already inaugurated the ICP on their side on Friday.
Some 30 per cent work on the ICP on the Nepal side at Sirsiya is yet to be completed. India has taken responsibility for building the ICPs on both sides. The Land Port Authority of India is responsible for operating the Indian ICP.
Birgunj customs, which was blocked for almost five months during the Tarai-Madhes protests, has not only created supply shortages in the country but also encouraged the black economy due to lack of formal channel for bilateral trade.

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