Minister Bhandari commits to promoting SMEs

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 4: Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari has said that the government was doing everything possible to promote and develop small and medium enterprises citing that they played a key role in producing export items.

In a discussion with the officials of the Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI) at Singha Durbar, Minister Bhandari said that the industrial sector of the country would thrive only if the relationship between the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the FNCSI could progress harmoniously.

He said that the path to make the country's economy self-reliant was promote micro, cottage and small industries.

"Cottage and small industries are not only weaving, but also agriculture, various productive goods, and herbal products. Nepal's resources are connected to all of them. I want to request entrepreneurs to work to promote small industries. For that, the ministry is ready to facilitate policies and laws,” he said.

Stating that the government would give concessions in the policy and the industry was run by businessmen, he said the government was committed to encouraging industrialists and developing businesses.

Krishna Bahadur Raut, secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, said that startup programmes had been introduced for small industrialists and such programmes would be continued in the coming days.

He said that the role of micro, cottage and small industrialists was important for the development of the industrial sector.

FNCSI President Umesh Prasad Singh said that it was necessary to formulate an industrial policy in which the scope and responsibilities of the local, provincial and federal governments were mentioned in accordance with the federal structure.

He said that there was a need for timely amendments in the Industrial Business Act based on the experiences faced during the operation of three levels of government in the recent past.

He requested the government to arrange necessary budget to establish an international level sales counter at the central level to end the situation where the consumers had to wander around because the quality products produced in the country were not available in the same place if they were to be purchased by the general public and foreign tourists.

“Due to the practice of importing goods from abroad, which are available in the country, the products of the domestic industries are not getting the market, and our industries are going to ruins. So, there should be an effective implementation of the procedures related to the use of domestic goods in the public agencies,” he said.

He said that the federal government should provide direct subsidies to the local levels for the establishment and operation of such industries, as the pre-programme for setting up micro industrial villages, cottage and small-scale industry villages at the local level had not been managed properly.