Nepal tops all on number of coops

Kathmandu, Aug. 24

Nepal has more cooperatives than its neigbours and any developed countries in the world.

The country has unexpectedly high number of cooperatives given its population and size of the economy, said Shashi Kumar Lamsal, Deputy Registrar of the Department of Cooperatives (DoC). 


The United States of America (USA), the biggest economy in the world, has about 5684 cooperatives by the end of 2017. About 112.6 million people are involved in those cooperatives. Similarly, India has 2,705 cooperatives catering services to 20 million people and Bangladesh has only 888 cooperatives that involve 547,000 people. 


Australia and Canada have even less cooperatives with 79 and 567 respectively. 4.2 million people are associated with cooperatives in Australia and 102 million in Canada. 


But Nepal has more than 34,000 cooperatives with 6.5 million members. 


Bangladesh has 165 million people while Nepal has only 29.96 million. It shows that Nepal is the country with highest per capita cooperative institutions. Nepal has considered cooperaives as the third pillar of the economy along with the public sector and private sector. 


Cooperatives activists and experts are demanding the merger of the cooperatives in Nepal.

Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Kumari Aryal has suggested that in the initial years, the operators and board members of the cooperatives should voluntarily go for merger with another institution with similar objectives, coverage area and member base. 


She suggested to bring down the number of cooperatives to one third of the existing numbers, about 10,000-12,000. 


The National Planning Commission (NPC) has said in its current five-year Periodic Plan that the investment contribution of cooperatives to the economy should be increased to 5.4 per cent. 


The plan mentions that in order to achieve 9.6 per cent growth rate the country should invest about Rs. 9229 billion in the next five years and the cooperatives sector should contribute Rs. 496.8 billion.

“Therefore, merger and creation of more powerful and transparent cooperatives should be the government policy,” said Lamsal. 


The Cooperatives Bylaws 2075 maintains that the cooperatives that have the same working area and nature of work can go for the merger. 


But, cooperatives that were registered before 15 May 1992 in the name of Sajha cannot go for merger without approval from the ministry.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 August 2019. 

Sales summit concludes

Kathmandu, Aug. 23

The fourth Sales Summit 2019 was organised in the Capital on Friday with the theme ‘Selling needs to go beyond tradition’.

About 260 professional from various sectors like banking and financial institutions, cement, fast moving consumer goods, hospitality and steel participated in the event. Senior Vice-President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Shekhar Golchha inaugurated the one-day programme. “The quality of product and services is what matters in the selling process,” he said.

Keynote speaker Sales Expert and India’s first PassionPreneur Dev Gadhvi informed about five unconventional sales techniques to increase sales by five times in  the 21st century.

Arniko Singh, Managing Director of Space Time Network, spoke about the importance of scripts in selling. “If there is a script for selling, the chances will be high to close a deal,” he said, adding that most of the organisations do not have sales script rather they have features to tell while selling.

There was a panel discussion session on the topic ‘emerging issues of sales: Challenges and Opportunities’.

Aarti Rana, AGM of Global IME Bank, Upendra Pradhan, Head of Sales & Marketing of Dabur Nepal, Mukunda Ghimire, Director of Dinesh Soaps and Household Pvt. Ltd. were the panelists.

The panelists discussed emerging issues of sales like credit crunch, growing competition, retaining manpower, difficult to get good people, maintaining the product price, balancing price and cost.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 August 2019. 

Indian authority recognises NFFL certificates

Kathmandu, Aug. 22

Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to recognise the standards certificates issued by the National Food and Feed Laboratory (NFFL) of Nepal.

The Indian food safety and regulation body is ready to acknowledge the NFFL-issued quality certificates on 21  food, fruit and vegetable items. They include juice, jam, jelly, pickle, candies, instant noodles, biscuit, infant food, milk, skimmed whole milk powder, concensed milk, icecream, sweet curd, processed meat and meat products, ginger, cardamom, turmeric, tea, coffee, honey and fresh vegetables.

Both the authorities had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the Nepal-India Joint Commission Meeting on Wednesday.

Both the labs are internatially accredited. The decision will have positive impact on Nepal’s export of food and other agricultural goods.

In absence of such recognition, Nepali agricultural goods were facing non-tariff barriers in the name of lab testing and quality.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) said that the southern neighbour had decided to recognise Nepali lab certificates as per the Indian Food Safety and Standard Regulation, 2011.

Nepal had proposed the FSSAI to acknowledge the NFFL certification of more than four dozen products, including processed food items, fruits, vegetables and medicinal  herbs.

Spokesperson of the MoICS Nabaraj Dhakal said that the Indian authority enlists the products to its Plant Quarantine List after it was satisfied about the pesticides risk analysis (PRA). The PRA is necessary to check the pesticide residue and to find out whether it was under the level to be good enough for human consumption.

The Ministry of Agruculture and Livestock Development and Ministry of Forest and Environment are in the process to create the PRA of the proposed goods.

The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has welcomed the Indian decision and expresesed satisfaction over the bilateral understanding. “The decision will help in trade facilitation between the two countries,” it said.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 August 2019. 

Leaders raise cross-border connectivity with Jaishankar

Kathmandu, Aug. 22

Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who was in the Capital to participate in the Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting, paid a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Thursday.

He also paid courtesy call on the leaders of various political parties. He had called on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday. Jaishankar met leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), main opposition Nepali Congress, Socialist Party and Rastriya Janata Party- Nepal.

Issues of bilateral relations, political situation, development and mutual interest were discussed during those meetings.

He met with NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba and Central Committee member Dr. Shekhar Koirala and discussed about inundation, Pancheshwar Multi-purpose Project and enhancing connectivity between the two countries, said Foreign Affairs Advisor of Deuba, Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai.

During the meeting, Deuba said that the inundation had become a menace for both the countries and they should work together to resolve the issue. He also said that the inundation in Nepal’s Terai was due to the Indian structure along the border.

According to Dr. Bhattarai, Deuba also inquired about Pancheshwar and suggested further discussion between the two countries in order to help Nepal reduce the ever growing trade deficit.

Jaishankar met with Co-chair of Socialist Party and former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Co-chair of the same party Upendra Yadav. Dr. Bhattarai had expressed happiness over the Indian support to enhance cross-border connectivity.

RJP-N coordinator Raj Kishor Yadav said that his party had asked India to seriously think about the flood and inundation as it had created challenges and caused loss of lives and property in both the countries.

In response, Jaishankar said that India was also serious about addressing the inundation and floods, and both the countries were in close communication for the same, Yadav informed.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 August 2019. 

Nepal-India agree to develop cross-border logistic facilities

Kathmandu, Aug. 22: Nepal and India agreed to continue upgradation and maintenance of infrastructure and logistic facilities at major border crossing-points for facilitating trade and transit between the two countries. 

The fifth meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission on Wednesday in the Capital consented to early conclusion of the review of treaties and agreements related to the trade, transit and rail services. The meeting is co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and his Indian counterpart Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. 

The two countries were also reviewing the Trade and Transit treaties and Railway Service Agreement and infrastructures like cross-border railway, Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) and dry ports to facilitate the movement of goods and people. 

Poor border infrastructure including container depot, laboratories, customs and quarantine facilities and cumbersome processes have increased the time and cost of trade for Nepal thus making Nepali products less competitive in the international markets. 

Earlier, Special Secretary (Logistics) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India N. Sivasailam had said last month that the southern neighbour was positive in allowing the Nepali importers to change the freight destination point at the Nepal-India border. He had also expressed commitment to resolve the issues related to documentation and logistics in Nepal’s trade with third countries as well. 

Gyawali and Jaishankar emphasised the importance of tourism in socio-economic development and agreed to enhance their cooperation in tourism sector, particularly in the context of Visit of Nepal year 2020. 

India has also agreed to provide additional air entry routes to Nepal. The two countries expressed hope that the discussion, which were underway between the civil aviation authorities of the two countries would yield positive results. 

The Joint Commission expressed satisfaction over progress in three new areas – Raxaul-Kathmandu Electrified Rail Line, Inland Waterways and New Partnership in Agriculture - agreed during the visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to India in April 2018, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). 

The meeting noted that inundation was a serious problem for people living in border areas and underlined the need for addressing the issue due to inadequate drainage provisions that obstructed the natural flow of water across the border. 

“The Joint Commission agreed to take action on the recommendations made by a joint tam comprising official from both side who had visited twice the inundation prone areas along Nepal-India border and continue monitoring of those areas,” said the MoFA.

The meeting deliberated on connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources sectors, culture and education. It also exchanged views on Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India Relations and Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950. 

It expressed happiness over the momentum generated in the overall aspects of Nepal-India relations following the exchange of high-level visits in the past two years. 

According to the MoFA, the Joint Commission expressed happiness at the progress made in the bilateral projects, such as Motihari-Amlekhgunj Petroleum Products Pipeline, four segments of Hulaki Roads, and post-earthquake reconstruction of private housing in Nuwakot and Gorkha districts.

It expressed happiness over progress made in Jayanagar-Janakpur and Jogbani-Biratnagar sections of cross-border railway projects and Integrated Check Post in Biratnagar. The Joint Commission agreed to expedite the early completion of remaining agreed projects.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) Nepal signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on food safety and standards. 

Likewise, India handed over a cheque of 807.1 million Indian Rupees (Rs. 1.29 billion) to support the construction of the Postal Highway in Terai. India had committed Rs. 8 billion support to Nepal for the Postal Highway. Four packages of the highway are ready for inauguration. 

India also handed over a cheque of Rs. 2.45 billion to the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) for the reconstruction of private houses in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over the cheque to the NRA Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyawali. 

Minister for Foreign Affairs Gyawali and his Indian counterpard Dr. Jaishankar witnessed the handing over of the cheques and signing of the MoU. 

Dr. Jaishankar paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. He had warm and in-depth conversation with the PM, tweeted Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. He is scheduled to pay a courtesy call to President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Thursday. 

The External Affairs Minister of India is scheduled to depart for New Delhi on Thursday.  

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 August 2019. 

Heifer to support in developing slaughterhouse

Kathmandu, Aug. 21

Heifer Nepal has announced to develop five abattoirs in collaboration with five city administrations.

The facilities will be built in Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Pokhara metropolitan cities, Butwal sub-metropolis and Kohalpur Municipality in Public Private Producer Partnership (4P) model.

“The public sector will invest to establish the slaughterhouse infrastructure as a part of its social responsibility of ensuring the availability of hygienic meat to its citizens,” said Dr. Tirtha Raj Regmi, Director of Programmes at Heifer.

The producers and meat entrepreneurs will separately form their investment companies which will establish a private company with the majority of the shares owned by the investment companies of the producers.

The private companies will manage and run the abattoir.

Concerned five municipalities and provincial governments have allocated US $3 million for infrastructure while producers and meat entrepreneurs’ investment companies have committed $2 million as equity for the development of the facilities.

Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act of Nepal, 1999, provisions a mandatory establishment and operation of abattoirs for production and sales of hygienic meat.

“But due to lack of proper domestic supply, poor backward linkages, and inadequate public-private collaboration model, several government and private sector initiative for establishing abattoir have failed and the act has not yet been implemented,” said Dr. Regmi.

Country Director of Heifer Nepal Dr. Shubh Narayan Mahato said that his organisation had facilitated the dialogue between the producers, meat entrepreneurs and local and provincial governments on technical and business aspects of running a modern slaughterhouse.

He said that the 4P model would ensure proper supply for sustainably running the abattoir and provide equitable income to small holder farmers.

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Chakrapani Khanal said that it was unfortunate that the country that involved about two thirds of its people in agriculture had been importing food in recent years.

“Agriculture has high potential to resolve unemployment problem, but we have failed to utilise the potential of the sector. The ministry has given priority to modernisation and commercialisation of agriculture sector,” he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 August 2019.

New action plans aims to reduce trade deficit by one-third

Kathmandu, Aug. 20

With an aim of increasing export and downsizing export-import ratio to 1:10.5 in the next five years, the government has developed a ‘national action plan to reduce trade deficit’. 


The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) said that the action plan had ministry-wise responsibilities and targets to meet the ambitious goal. 


The export import ratio stands at 1.14.6 in the fiscal year 2018/19 with Rs. 97.11 billion exports and 1,515.67 billion imports. The ratio was all time high 1:15.3 in 2017/18. 


Although the government had formulated and implemented Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) in 2010 and 2016, the country’s trade has not shown positive results in those years. 


The products included in the NTIS also failed to witness the growth in export which drew widespread criticism from the private sector and other stakeholders. 


In the meantime, Nepal also failed to diversify its international trade, both in terms of products and destination markets. Exports and imports both are more concentrated to India while trade that had been surplus with the countries like the United States of America has flip-flopped. 


Approved by the Cabinet on May 24this year, the action plan targets to develop products of comparative advantage and competitive capacity and promote export to substitute goods’ import.

It also aims to improve the quality of’ made in Nepal’ products, monitor the harmful goods and create industrial as well as trade infrastructure. 


The action plan also proposes to forge greater collaboration and coordination among at least 15 government agencies, and private sector when required. 


The responsibility of overall coordination and monitoring rests upon the Prime Minister’s Office and the MoICS. Progress review of the action plan will be conducted at the National Development Action Committee meeting and the secretary-level meting every four months. 


National Planning Commission (NPC), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Aviation and Civil Aviation, Ministry of Energy, Water Sources and Irrigation, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and Nepal Rastra Bank are the other concerned agencies supporting to implement the action plan. 


“These agencies have specific responsibilities to implement and meet the targets. Overall objective is to create a favourable investment climate with industrial security, supply uninterruptible energy, expand  the latest technology, discourage the import of luxury goods and agricultural products,” Buddhi Prasad Upadhyaya, Under-Secretary at the MoICS, said at an interaction on the action plan. 


Madan Lamsal, editor of New Business Age, suggested signing investment agreement with potential source countries and creating brand Nepal. He said that the country should focus on trade in services. 


Joint-Secretary of the Ministry Madhu Kumar Marasini said that there was a need to increase attention to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). “SMEs are the backbone of most of the economies around the globe. Nepal has 144,000 SMEs which are employing about 1.7 million people,” he said. 


According to him, a focal point will be created in all agencies that have responsibility of implementing the action plan to facilitate coordination and put the policy in practice. 


Secretary of the Ministry Kedar Bahadur Adhikari said that investment facilitation was the priority of  the government.


Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 August 2019. 

Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting today

Kathmandu, Aug. 20

The fifth Meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission will start in the capital Wednesday afternoon.

The two-day meeting of the high-level mechanism of the two countries will be jointly chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and his Indian counterpart Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. They will lead the delegation of their respective countries.

The Joint Commission Meeting will review the overall state of bilateral relations, and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources sectors, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting will also discuss about the report of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal and India, all the past treaties and agreements and offered recommendations to strengthen the bilateral trade, cultural, political and economic relations between the two countries.

The Nepal-India Joint Commission was established in June 1987. Its meetings are held alternately in Nepal and India. The last meeting of the Joint Commission was held in New Delhi in October 2016.  

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 August 2019. 

Inundation priority agenda in JC meet

Kathmandu, Aug. 19

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said on Monday that the agenda of Terai inundation would get priority in the Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting scheduled for August 21 and 22. 


“Inundation has become a recurring problem for both the countries and many people have lost their lives and property. So both the country are working seriously to resolve the flood related issues,” he said at a press meet organised at the Ministry in Singha Durbar. 


Indian Minister for External Affairs Dr. Subranyam Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation in the meeting. 


According to Minister Gyawali, two bilateral technical teams had studied the potential inundated areas across the country in the southern plains and recommended possible solutions on which the commission will discuss. 


The inundation in Nepal is the caused by Indian structures across or along the border or somewhere it is natural. 


Gyawali said that the meeting would discuss the report of Nepal-India Eminent Persons Group (EPG) which reviewed all the past treaties and agreements and offered recommendations to strengthen the bilateral trade, cultural, political and economic relations between the two countries. 


“We want India to accept the report as soon as possible and start working on it. This is a priority agenda for the meeting,” said Gyawali. 


The meeting will discuss the past agreements reached between the two countries during the high level exchanges, review them and develop new strategies if needed. 


Some projects like Amlekhgunj-Motihari Pipeline Project, Birgunj Integrated Check Post (ICP), Biratnagar ICP, Arun III Hydroelectricity Project, Jayanagar-Janakpur Railway and Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway are being satisfactorily implemented, said Minister Gyawali.


Birgunj ICP has been completed and has come into operation while Biratnagar ICP is almost completed, and Nepalgunj and Bhairahawa are moving ahead satisfactorily. Similarly, there has been significant progress about developing inland waterways in the Koshi and Narayani Rivers. Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Kathmandu-Raxaul Railway would be completed soon, said Gyawali.

“But projects like Pancheshwor are lagging. We have to find new methods and strategies for their progress,” he said. 


Similarly, the two countries are in the process to review the bilateral Commerce Treaty, Transit Treaty and Railway Service Agreement. 


Gyawali said that this is a high time to think and made changes in the agreements and take the relations to a newer height as both the countries are enjoying the majority governments, which had created foundations to unleash the potentials in both the neighbours. 


He also said that the ‘Sagarmatha Sambad’ – an international dialogue being organised by the government – would be held in March 2020, and the main agenda of the first dialogue would be climate change. 


According to him, two committees, steering and organising, are working to implement the dialogue. “This will be used as a platform to voice Nepal’s concerns on climate change, tourism, economic growth and inclusive democracy. We want to share global concerns to the international community,” he said.

He said that global warming had created alarming situation in the mountains and plains equally, and the country wanted to draw attention to the climate change impacts on Himalayas, environment and people.

Talking on the Kashmir issue, the Foreign Minister said that Nepal always wanted peace and stability in the neighbourhood. He also said that Kashmir was not Nepal’s agenda, and the government was closely watching the developments there. 

The Joint Commission Meeting will review the overall state of bilateral relations, and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources sectors, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest.

The Nepal-India Joint Commission was established in June 1987. Its meetings are held alternately in Nepal and India. The last meeting of the Joint Commission was held in New Delhi in October 2016. 

During the visit, Dr. Jaishankar will pay courtesy calls on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday.   

Dr. Jaishankar is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on August 21 and depart for New Delhi on August 22.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 August 2019. 

LCCI to organise walkathon to raise funds for heritage restoration

Lalitpur, Aug. 19

Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is organising a walkathon to generate awareness about the heritage reconstruction and preservation and raise funds for their restoration. 


The 19-km long walkathon will be organised on September 21, 2019. 


It will start from Patan, Mangal Bazaar and conclude in Khokana. There will be eight points from where the participants can start their walk – Mangal Bazaar, Sana Gaun, Lubhoo, Harisiddhi, Dhapakhel, Sunakothi, Thecho and Bungmati. 


The participants can join or leave the walkathon from any stop as per their convenience. “Medical teams will be ready in each stop and ambulances will be ready in case of emergency,” said Krishna Lal Maharjan, President of LCCI. 


LCCI also wants to contribute to the Visit Nepal Year 2020 through the walkathon. 


Maharjan said that Rs. 500 would be raised from each participant as the registration fee while Kumari Bank has supported with t-shirts and lunch. 


LCCI has aimed to attract more than 2,000 people in the event and hoped that it would be a milestone in the development of tourism attractions and heritages in Lalitpur district. 


Local entrepreneurs urged the government to spend a certain per cent of the income earned from the tourist fee in developing tourist facilities.



 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 August 2019. 

Nepal-India Joint Commission from August 21

Kathmandu, Aug 18

The Fifth Meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission is being held in Kathmandu on August 21- 22.

Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India will co-chair the meeting, leading their respective delegations.

The Joint Commission Meeting will review the overall state of bilateral relations, and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources sectors, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest.

The Nepal-India Joint Commission was established in June 1987. Its meetings are held alternately in Nepal and India. The last meeting of the Joint Commission was held in New Delhi in October 2016.  

During the visit, Dr. Jaishankar will pay courtesy calls on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday.   

Minister Gyawali will host a dinner in honour of Dr. Jaishankar. 

Dr. Jaishankar is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on August 21 and depart for New Delhi on August 22.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 August 2019. 

Balgopaleshwor reconstruction starts

Kathmandu, Aug. 18

Reconstruction of the Balgopaleshwar Temple at the historic Ranipokhari has started. CA-Tulasi Construction JV has started the temple rebuilding following the signing of contract agreement with the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) about a month ago.

The contractor has started to break the concrete tie-beam around the temple, constructed for the restoration of the temple after the devastating Gorkha Earthquake 2015.

The temple was built by King Pratap Malla about 350 years ago.

Passage around the temple will be rebuilt with limestone and surki mortar. Surki is being produced at the northern door of the historic pond.

Sanam Shrestha of the contractor company said that 30 to 35 workers are involved in the reconstruction of the temple daily. According to him, the reconstruction of the temple would be started after the ‘Kshama Pooja’.

He also said that the reconstruction of the temple and the bridge over the pond connecting the temple would move ahead in a parallel manner.

Shiva Hari Sharma, Joint-Secretary and Chief of Heritage Preservation, Public Building and Infrastructure Division at the NRA, expressed satisfaction over the progress at the site.

The CA-Tulasi will reconstruct the temple, bridge and garden around the pond, and the consumer committee will rebuild the bed of the pond and a wall around it.

The committee has completed the wall construction at the western side and is building wall at southern and northern parts.

Expert artists are building the bed with black soil to make it able to hold water.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 August 2019. 

NADA Auto Show from Aug 27

Kathmandu, Aug. 18:

NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal is organising NADA Auto Show 2019 from August 27 to September 1 at the Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Centre.


The show will showcase 23 brands from 4-wheller section and 19 brands from 2-wheeler section, 12 of lubricant, 9 tyre, 5 battery, 14 garage equipment and auto components, and 13 financial institutions. 


About 95 exhibitors, including importers, dealers, distributors and manufacturers, will be accommodated in around 160 stalls of various size. 


The 14^th edition of the event is designed as an informative platform incorporating information on financing services, after sales and insurance services, said Shambhu Prasad Dahal, president of NADA. 


“The show is equally a trustworthy platform for the prospective buyers to know, observe and enquire about their choices to make smart decisions. As always, road safety and traffic rules are the important areas of focus in regard to disseminating mass information,” he said. 


The exhibition will feature Traffic Information Desk in support with the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division. 


“The show will be segmented as 2-wheeler section, 4-wheeler section, auto component section and financial section. A food stall will also be there at the venue,” said Dahal. 


He said that due to limited space, although the whole hall, ground and garden at Bhrikutimandap, this year’s show would not feature heavy equipment section. 


The organiser has expected about 75,000 visitors in the six-day show. It has also announced that a lucky winner will be chosen from the entry tickets, who will get GPX Gentleman 200cc motorcycle. 


Secretary of NADA and event spokesperson Anup Kumar Baral said that the market of automobile has shifted to small SUVs. “The show is also an opportunity to place new brands and sustain the existing ones,” he said. 


Past president of NADA Anjan Shrestha said that the government had to revise its views on automobile industry in the country. “We are one of the largest contributors of revenue with the minimum effect on the balance-of-payment,” he said.


Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 August 2019. 

Infra Bank invests in Karuwa Seti

Kathmandu, Aug. 18

The first infrastructure bank of the country, Nepal Infrastructure Bank has mobilised its first investment to 32 MW Karuwa Seti Hydropower Project in Kaski district. 


The project is located in Machhapuchhre and Sardikhola Rural Municipalities of the district.

The bank has led a consortium of Himalayan Bank and Sanima Bank in investing Rs. 4.6 billion in the project. The total cost of the project is Rs. 5.80 billion. 


“We have identified various infrastructure projects in hydropower, solar energy, hotel, resort, fun ark, cable car, education, health and other sectors and completed required study. Investment will be mobilised in those areas in the near future,” said the bank. 


The bank was established with the objective of investing in the infrastructure projects in the country.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 August 2019. 

Cement producers jittery over FDI

Kathmandu, Aug. 17

Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) Nepal organised a discussion programme on challenges of the cement industry in the country last week where the producers tried to persuade the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Prasad Yadav and concerned departments of environment, forest, industry and standards to bar the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the sector. 

Domestic cement producers recommended barring the FDI in the sectors on which the country is self-reliant. 

President of the CMA Dhruba Thapa said that the cement market in the country had been saturated, and inviting large investments in this sector could jeopardise the entire industry. 

“We will have become self-reliant in cement and by the end of 2020, we will have product surplus. Bringing in more FDI in large cement industry will be suicidal for the existing businesses and the newcomers as well,” he said to The Rising Nepal. 

Refuting that the large industry like Hongshi Shivam cement had caused the sudden downfall in the market price of cement, Thapa said that the uninterruptible power supply and decreasing price of coal – used as fuel and raw material – in the international market made the product cheaper. 

The price of coal has come down to US $70 from $115 a couple of years ago. Since the new industries had enjoyed both the opportunities, they offered the product in cheaper price, said Thapa. 

However, a private sector cement producer said that many Nepali producers were afraid of large investments like Hongshi and Huaxin Narayani. “Whatever may be their claim, entry of Hongshi in the market had forced them to lower the price of cement,” he said. 

But the Investment Board of Nepal (IBN), the facilitating agency for large-size FDI in the country, said that there were no chances of barring foreign investment in any industries in the country, including cement.

Chief Executive Officer of the IBN Maha Prasad Adhikari said that the FDI in cement will be open until the domestic product become competitive in the international markets in terms of quality and price.

There will be no bar on FDI in the cement sector, market and demand will decide whether we had enough investment, he said. 

“Local producers might have afraid of price reduction due to the entry of large and powerful players in the market. But, they must not forget that the quality product is always valued by the market. In addition to it, there are export potentials as well,” said Balaram Rijyal, Spokesperson of the IBN.

He also pointed out to the opportunities like rapid infrastructure development in the future. Following the CMA recommendations, the government is also mulling to build concrete-roads instead of bitumen-based blacktopped ones. 

Rijyal said that the entry of a single large manufacturer – Hongshi – had eased the supply of raw materials. It is supplying clinker to more than 40 cement industries in the country. Earlier they used to import the clinker from India. 

According to the CMA, by mid-July 2021, cement demand would reach 12.2 million tonnes per annum and the installed capacity of the industry will reach 25 million tons, thus creating more than half product surplus. 

The cement import has been reduced to 80,000 tonnes per year from 800,000 tons some years ago.

There are 61 cement industries in the country with 40 grinding plants and 21 integrated plants, with 15 million tonnes of installed capacity.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 18 August 2019. 

Chopper carrying NA chair forced to sudden landing

Pokhara, Aug. 16

A helicopter with Ganesh Prasad Timalsina, Chairman of the National Assembly, on board had a forced landing in East Rukum district due to bad weather on Friday. 


He was returning to Pokhara after inaugurating Dhorpatan Festival in Baglung district on Friday.

The chopper was also carrying Minister for Physical Development of Gandaki Province Ram Sharan Basnet. 


Basnet said that the helicopter flew from Dhorpatan in the morning but bad weather forced it to sudden landing at Bal Jagaran School in Risal Chaur of Bhume Rural Municipality of East Rukum.

“We were preparing to fly to Pokhara but the weather did not allow us to cross the hills. We stayed in the school the whole day and have arrived at the district headquarters in the evening,” he said. 


Police Chief of the district DSP Yogendra Kumar Khadka said that police were sent to the landing location immediately after getting the information.


Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 August 2019. 

PM says his health is normal

Kathmandu, Aug. 16

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that his health was normal. 


He appeared with happy mood while meeting leading cadres of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Jhapa on Friday morning and commented on a light note, “Have you come here to find me sick?”


He said that the rumour about his deteriorating health was baseless. “I have about 99 degree fever on Thursday evening. It was controlled with just a cetamol but there were rumours that I was seriously ill,” Prime Minister said.


According PM Oli, he got eyes, nose, throat, hands and even toes checked in Singapore last week. “Doctors have said that my body is healthy and I will be so for next 20-25 years,” he said. “I was sick 15 years ago. After kidney transplant some 12 years back, I became healthy again. That story is retold now.”


He talked about party unification process following the last general elections and participated in party secretariat meeting afterwards. 


Visiting cadres thanked the PM for the projects like Industrial Park in Damak and Gauradaha Municipality and Kamal Rural Municipality. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 August 2019. 

Nirak KC elected as FNCCI Treasurer

Kathmandu, Aug. 16

Nirak KC has been elected as the Treasurer of the Federation of Nepalese Chmabers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) on Friday.

The member of the FNCCI Working Committee is unanimously elected to the post of treasurer.

President of the FNCCI Bhawani Rana administered the oath of the post and secrecy to newly elected Treasurer KC.

KC is invoved in hotel, tourism and agricultural business. He runs Siddartha Sunny Resort in Birendranagar of Surkhet, capital city of Karnali State.

The post had remained vacant after erstwhile Treasurer Gyanendra Lal Pradhan resigned following the controversy about his comments on corruption at the Agro Enterprise Centre (AEC), a wind at the FNCCI.

The 13^th Meeting of the Working Committee also discussed about the challenges of the business community and overall status of business and industry in the country.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 August 2019. 

Income tax affects total revenue collection

Kathmandu, Aug 15

The government was successful to meet the target of customs duty on exports, excise duty on imports and non-tax revenue in the last fiscal 2018/19. But the annual revenue target saw negative results due to less revenue mobilisation in income tax.

Overall revenue mobilisation last year was 99.95 per cent of the target and up by 22.61 on an annual basis.

The government collected Rs. 859.59 billion against the target of Rs. 860 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

The Department of Customs (DoC) and Inland Revenue Department (IRD) failed to meet their targets on imports revenue, infrastructure tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), excise duty and income tax.

Income tax has the largest share in the total government revenue collection. The government has set the income tax target at Rs. 209.68 billion for the IRD but it could collect only Rs. 194.28 billion, 92.66 per cent of the target. But the total income tax collection is up by 21.5 per cent compared to the previous fiscal year 2017/18.

Rs. 155.36 billion customs duty was collected last fiscal against the target of Rs. 164.52 billion. The collection is 94.43 per cent of the target and 12.76 per cent up as compared to Rs. 137.78 billion of the Fiscal Year 2017/18.

The DoC collected Rs. 137 billion against Rs. 145.27 billion target and meet 94.3 per cent of the target.

In its annual report, the Ministry said that only duties on exports saw an exponential growth with 131.6 per cent growth on year-on-year basis compared to the previous fiscal 2017/18 with 283.6 per cent collection against the target of Rs. 80.3 million.

Spokesperson at the DoC Shishir Ghimire said that the increased export duty was the result of the increment in the export of palm oil. The country exported about 95.6 million kilos of palm oil worth Rs. 10 billion.

Likewise, VAT was collected slightly more than 96 per cent of the target of Rs. 250.88 billion. The VAT on production, sales and service was down by 4.3 per cent with Rs. 89.55 billion collection.

Excise duty collection was 97.5 per cent of the annual target of Rs. 124.88 billion.

Similarly, the government collected Rs. 44.80 billion in other tax headings, which is up by 119 per cent compared to the collection of previous fiscal. Significant achievements were made in the area of non-tax revenue. About Rs. 100.59 billion non-tax revenue was collected against Rs. 83.10 billion target.

However, the revenue mobilisation on amount basis is up in every tax heading in comparison to the previous fiscal. 

Revenue collection in 1018/19 (Rs. in billion)

Tax Head	Target	Collection	Collection%	Annual Growth %
Customs duty	164.52	155.36	94.43	12.76
VAT	250.88	241.61	96.31	16.84
Excise duty	124.88	121.85	97.57	18.79
Income tax	209.68	194.28	92.66	21.50
Other tax	25.95	44.80	172.62	119.90
Non-tax revenue	83.10	100.59	121.04	38.28
Total revenue	860.0	859.59	99.95	22.61

Source: MoF

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 16 August 2019.