Finance Minister Sharma for result-oriented agreement on foreign trade

August 6, Kathmandu: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has said the time has come to review whether all agreements on foreign trade serve the country’s interest.

Inspecting the Customs Department on Thursday, Finance Minister Sharma reiterated that it was imperative to study well whether Nepal was reaping benefits from the international trade agreements.

The review would help Nepal advance accordingly, he added. “Satisfaction of service seekers bears importance. For it to happen, honesty and transparency in works are equally necessary,” Sharma reminded the employees.

Custom administration could be simplified to make it people-oriented. According to the Finance Minister, the Finance Ministry and related agencies have a significant role to ensure a productive economy.

He underscored the need to guarantee discounts on custom duty to all traders irrespective of financial status. Finance Minister also shared that those returning home from abroad were complaining of hassles at customs. “Why there is the stringent rule on those who are propping up the national economy with remittance?

” Minister Sharma wondered, reminding the customs employees that the Nepali migrant workers were hassled much while bringing mobile and TV sets though they were sending huge remittances to Nepal.