KATHMANDU, MAY 17

Minister of Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel has directed the authorities concerned to clear customs of medical supplies related to prevention, treatment, and control of COVID-19, health equipment and medicines in a smooth manner, keeping these as top priority.

At a programme organised virtually today, Finance Minister Poudel directed the Director General and Deputy Director General of Department of Customs and chiefs of different customs offices in this regard. He asked them to further ease the supply of liquid oxygen, oxygen cylinders, oxygen plants and other things imported by the government of Nepal, provinces, local levels and the private sector by clearing customs without hassles.

Saying that the situation demanded protection from COVID-19 and work had to be executed effectively, the finance minister urged employees to carry out their duty adopting all health protocols.

Minister Poudel also directed the customs department to inform the ministry about the quantity of imported goods for treatment of COVID-19 and their prices every day.

Similarly, Finance Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana asked the bodies concerned to formulate and implement their work procedure regarding customs clearance of health supplies related to COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment.

Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini directed employees to carry out effective work round-the-clock by coordinating with the customs offices of neighbouring countries for customs clearance.

A version of this article appears in the print on May 18, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.