Taxed in TAR Nathu La

Taxed in TAR Nathu La

Taxed in TAR Nathu La

KalimNews, Gangtok, May 9: The State government would be writing to Ministry of External Affairs regarding the alleged decision of Chinese authorities to impose tax on Indian goods meant for the Nathu La border trade between Sikkim and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
Sikkimese traders had stopped participating in the sixth edition of the border trade since Thursday after their goods were not cleared by the Chinese authorities at Nathu La border gate on May 4, as reported in media today. The Chinese authorities also allegedly told the Sikkimese traders that they do not recognize the list of items approved by the Indian government.
This particular move was communicated formally to DC (East) D Anandan, who is also the border trade pass issuing authority, today by the executive members of the newly formed Indo-China Border Trade (Sikkim) Association (ICBTSA) at his office in East district administrative centre here.
The traders also shared their experiences of Wednesday with the DC, industries director K Kafley and deputy secretary Sumita Pradhan. The Mart (Donqingang) in-charge of China side has informed us that they would impose tax per kilogram on our approved items which will be exported to China from India, they said in a memorandum signed by ICBTSA president Nim Phuti.
The DC said that custom duties cannot be imposed on border trade items as per the bilateral agreement of 2006 between India and China when the historic Nathu La border trade was resumed after a gap of 44 years. The border trade has been going smoothly for the past five years and no such issue of custom duty had been raised and we have received no official communication stating that custom duty will be imposed, he said.
The DC assured the traders that the State commerce & industries secretary will be writing today to the Ministry of External Affairs on the issue of custom duty and not recognizing the exportable list of Indian items by the Chinese authorities. Since it is an international subject, the Indian government will take it up with the Chinese government on the issue of custom duty and why our goods were stopped, he said.
While this issue is being sorted out in the highest levels, the DC suggested that the traders to maintain their channel of communication with their border trade counterparts and to resume trade if the Chinese authorities themselves clear the present issue.
Anandan also shared a good piece of news with the members of ICBTSA. He informed that the Centre has agreed to authorize the use of drivers by the traders. One driver can be taken by each trader to cross the border and participate in the border trade, he said. This will be very helpful for traders especially the women traders, he said.
The driver will be issued a pass similar to the trade pass but he cannot do trade.