Call for declaring micro, cottage and small industries as priority sector

Declaration of the micro, cottage and small industries as a priority sector like agriculture has been demanded in order to build a self-reliant economy and reduce the trade deficit. At a policy-level talks programme organised by the Federation of Nepali Cottage and Small Industries here today, stakeholders pointed out that these types of industries, which help to build a self-sufficient economy and reduce the trade deficit, should be declared as the priority sector like agriculture. On the occasion, Federation President Umesh Prasad Singh stressed that it would help to build a prosperous economy if the micro, cottage and small industries could be promoted through the Industrial Enterprises Act.

He pointed out the need to make a concrete action plan and implement it for import substitution, export promotion, employment creation, and production increase for economic prosperity and development. Singh urged to support for the development of a ‘Virtual Market Place’, operated commercially by the private sector.

Saying the practice of charging a 300 percent fine when industries fail to renew should be stopped, outgoing President of the Federation, Shyam Prasad Giri, stressed that acts, rules and work procedures of the federation, province and local level should complement each other. Bagmati province government minister for economic affairs and planning, Bahadur Singh Lama, said the small, cottage, and micro enterprises should be expanded into large-scale industries by promoting and upscaling them. He added that the small industries were not growing as they were centered more on imports than on production.

Stating that the small industries needed protection, the province government minister stated his ministry was positive about building an international-standard exhibition center. Bagmati province government’s minister for industry, Ram Krishna Chitrakar stressed on revising the Acts designed to implement the federalism. He added that although the Provincial Industrial Policy has not been made so far, it is in the process of formulation. Former Finance Secretary Shishir Dhungana and former Industry Secretary Yam Kumari Khatiwada presented working papers on subjects that needed to be incorporated in and amended in the province’s Industrial Enterprises Act.

Bagmati province government’s minister for tourism Pukar Maharjan, minister for forests Masina Khadka, joint secretaries at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Govinda Bahadur Karki and Jiblal Bhusal, Director-General of the Department of Industries Baburam Gautam, Bagmati province Industry Ministry secretary Govinda Risal, Bagmati province Industry Division Chief Jhamanath Kandel, Bagmati province Industry and Commerce Directorate’s director Govinda Sigdel and Federation senior vice-president Surya Kandel spoke on various issues related to the cottage, small and micro enterprises. The programme was organised jointly by the Federation and USAID Trade and Competitiveness.

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