Minister Pandey presents his achievements

Kathmandu, July 19: Minister for Industry Som Prasad Pandey Tuesday informed that initiatives for the establishment of industrial zones covering 1,000 bighas each in all seven provinces, petroleum exploration and study of iron mine in Nawalparasi and salt in Mustang were the major achievement of his tenure as the Minister.

The government is planning to establish industrial zones in Jhapa, Sarlahi, Makwanpur, Gorkha, Rupandehi, Banke, Surkhet, Kailali, Kanchanpur and Dang. 

"I came to a conclusion that Nepal is a land of myriads of possibilities. It has a huge storage of minerals, gem stones and other valuable elements. If we can explore them, the country will be self-reliant and poverty would be reduced," he said in a press conference organized at Singha Durbar.

He expressed his commitment that the ministry would formulate a long-term policy, facilitate technology transfer and help the private sector to tap such possibilities.

Expressing his serious concerns about the declining contribution industrial sector to the Gross Domestic Product, which has come down to 6 per cent from 16 per cent a decade ago, Minister Pandey said that the country needed a huge amount of investment in the industrial sector in order to generate employment opportunities and revenue for the development works.

"The government has expedited works to improve policies to attract foreign investment, enhance capacity and skill of the youth, development of private sector, develop special economic zones and industrial areas. I am hopeful that these works will bear fruit in near future," said Pandey.

He claimed that the government had recently launched online system at the Department of Industry in order to facilitate the private sector.

According to the Minister, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has shown its interest to provide technology needed for the value addition in gem stones.

Chairman of Industry Committee under the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Umesh Lal Shrestha urged the political parties to initiate inter-party discussion for the industrial development in the country. "The businesses are facing difficulties due to political instability."

Former president of the FNCCI Rabi Bhakta Shrestha criticized the government for its indifference to the private sector investment in the country.

"Nepal has the potential to be the most industrialized country in the South Asia as it has abundant raw materials and other resources. The private sector is ready to explore these opportunities but the government should put a stable policy regime in palce," said Shrestha.