Himal Press 
Nepali Congress Central Party Office
KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has objected to the government’s decision to impose mandatory customs duties on household and personal goods worth more than Rs 100 in border areas.
Issuing a statement on Sunday, the party said making customs duties compulsory on items valued above Rs 100 is against the people.
“Such actions are anti-people, impractical, and insensitive, and add another burden on people who are already braving economic crisis,” party Spokesperson Devraj Chalise said in the statement. “The decision has affected millions of ordinary people, including daily wage earners, small farmers, and low-income families, living in border areas.”
The party has said that imposing additional charges even on small purchases of Rs 200–300 at a time when diesel prices are at an all-time high, weakens people’s purchasing power and amounts to a policy that institutionalizes poverty.
Demanding the immediate withdrawal of the decision, the party has urged the government to set a practical threshold for personal goods. It also called for reducing or temporarily waiving customs duties on daily essentials such as food, clothing, cooking oil, and soap.
Meanwhile, the party has also urged the government to introduce a transparent fuel pricing system and adopt a pro-poor cross-subsidy policy to control fuel prices.
“Mobilizing revenue is a responsibility of the state. But protecting people’s livelihoods and living standards should be a higher priority,” it said, adding that any policy that adds further burden to people’s daily lives is unacceptable.
