NRB LIFTS RESTRICTIONS ON GOLD, SILVER IMPORT

Kathmandu, 28 Dec.: Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) Monday lifted restrictions in import of gold and silver with announcement of new guidelines.
An import ban was slapped four months ago.
Licensed dealers can import the precious metals under open general license.
Class A commercial banks are authorized to import 15kg gold per day.
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NEPAL WANTS INDIAN HELP FOR REVAMP


Kathmandu, 28 Dec.: The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to make a fresh request to the Government of India to upgrade the capacity of the Immigration system at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Anil Giri reports in The Kathmandu Post reports.
The request has been rejected several times in the past.

Ahead of the Nepal-India Home Secretary level talks slated for next month in New Delhi, the fresh proposal has just landed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for consideration.

TIA Department of Immigration (DoI) Chief Narayan Prasad Sanjel confirmed that a proposal has been prepared to seek Indian assistance, which will include passport-reading devices, document verification equipment, vehicles for deportation, arrests and ultra-violet lamps. The combined worth runs into millions of rupees.

According to officials privy to these developments, a bilateral minute was signed on Nov. 7 last year during the Home Secretary-level talks that were held in Kathmandu, the two Secretaries—Govinda Kusum (Nepal) and G K Pillai (India).

The document reads: “Discussions were held on training and assistance in modernisation and networking of the immigration system of Nepal. The Nepali side stated that it would develop a workplan and communicate the requirements to the Indian side through diplomatic channels.”

Officials at the Home and Foreign Affairs ministries told the Post that the said workplan was later carried out by an Indian immigration team without any participation of the

Nepali officials.

“This was against the decision of the Home Secretary-level talks. So, we doubt that the Foreign Ministry will respond to the offer of Indian assistance,” said a Home Ministry official.

“India has repeatedly stressed that Nepal’s immigration system is fragile, “where no records can be traced even when someone has passed through the immigration desk 20 times a month,” said the official, quoting an Indian official.

Following the secretary-level talks between India and Nepal last year, an Indian team led by the Joint Director of Indian Immigration Department visited Nepal in March. They inquired about the function, status and other operational system of the TIA immigration, said DoI chief Sanjel.

“If we were to ask for Indian assistance for networking, that would not be a wise move. This will have serious repercussions on our own functioning immigration system.”

Former home secretary Umesh Mainali who has previously served as the chief of the Immigration Department, said that similar Indian proposals were rejected in the past.

“We rejected the Indian proposal fearing that there might be an information ‘hook’ in the immigration system.” Later, at the request of the Home Ministry the government allocated Rs. 40 million for the networking. “We should be careful while accepting foreign assistance.”
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