BIRGUNJ: Diesel imports through Birgunj have significantly decreased, marking a 9.41 percent drop in the first four months of the current fiscal year. This decline has correspondingly led to a 15.16 percent reduction in revenue, as reported by the Birgunj Customs Office.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the total diesel imported during this period amounted to 246,719 kilolitres, valued at Rs 21.84 billion. This figure contrasts with the Rs 30.17 billion worth of diesel imported in the same timeframe of the previous fiscal year. Chief Customs Administrator, Deepak Lamichhane, noted that the decline in the import of petroleum products, vehicles, and raw materials has adversely impacted revenue collection.
The diesel is brought in via the Motihari-Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline, while petrol is transported through tankers. Federation of Contractors’ Association of Nepal (FCAN) President Rabi Singh attributed the decrease in diesel imports to a halt in the construction sector, expected to last until mid
-November. He emphasized the need for the government to rejuvenate the construction industry to boost capital expenditure.
In contrast to diesel, petrol imports showed an increase. In the four months of the current fiscal year, 142,865 kilolitres of petrol worth Rs 12.42 billion were imported, compared to 129,126 kilolitres valued at Rs 13.18 billion in the same period last year.