KATHMANDU, APRIL 09

The government is all set to begin a one-door system for food import and export permissions.

All the permits and certificates required for the import and export of food items will now be accepted through the one-door system. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has issued a notice urging entrepreneurs to send their applications through Nepal National One Door System.

The department has stated that businesspeople will no longer be required to visit the office for permits, licences and other documents related to international trade and customs clearance. The department has decided to accept such applications via online platform as per the Electronic Transactions Rules 2008.

The department has stated that information about user manual related to operation of Nepal National One Door System is available on the official website of the department.

Entrepreneurs can also contact the Department of Customs or the DoFTQC for further assistance, the notice added.

The services of the DoFTQC, Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre and the Department of Livestock Services had been connected to the customs process as one-door from January 26. All the required information and services related to international trade and transit are available online.

On January 25, the agriculture-related government agencies inked an agreement with the customs department to implement the one-door system on foreign trade. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), the system will make custom services easier and faster, facilitate trade, and the customs clearance process will be completely paperless.

Similarly, the government is confident that the online customs service will foster transparency and promote good governance in the import/export sector. At present, Department of Customs, Department of Commerce Supply and Consumer Protection, Department of Industry, Department of Inland Revenue, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Department of Animal Services, Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre, Department of Drug Management, Department of Transport Management along with 40 other government bodies are working jointly to implement the national onedoor system.

As per the ministry, 21 governmental bodies will be working under this system in the first phase.

Gradually other bodies will be included in the future.

A version of this article appears in the print on April 10, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.