Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The government has raised the customs duty exemption limit to Rs 500 on personal-use goods carried by travelers crossing land borders.
While the exemption threshold had been set at Rs 100 for a long time, it had remained largely unimplemented, allowing travelers to bring in significantly higher-value goods without paying duties.
The practical challenges of enforcing the outdated Rs 100 limit became evident earlier this month when security personnel seized daily consumables brought by Nepalis across the Indian border. The revised threshold is expected to provide relief to people of border areas who cross daily for household shopping.
According to a notice published in the Nepal Gazette, the decision was made under Section 20(1) of the Customs Act and Section 13(3) of the Customs Tariff Act. Under Section 5(1) of the Gazette notice, travelers entering or leaving Nepal by land are permitted to carry personal-use and small household items worth up to Rs 500 duty-free, subject to the justification of the items and the discretion of the chief customs officer.
The government has also announced a new educational concession to support Nepali students studying in India and promote digital learning.
Under a special provision in Section 5(2) of the Gazette notice, Nepali students studying in India will be entirely exempt from customs duty on one laptop, tablet, or computer brought into or taken out of Nepal. This initiative is aimed at increasing access to technology and easing logistical hurdles for students commuting between the two countries.
