Kathmandu, Mar 18
Nepali consumers are living with the
blockade psychology which has forced them to store the essential goods amidst
the threat of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, said Minister for Industry,
Commerce and Supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta.
"Driven by the fear of the shortage of
the food items and cooking gas, people have started storing more goods,"
he said while talking to The Rising Nepal
Wednesday.
"I have met people who have bought
salt, rice and gas that would last for more than two years. This is madness. The
consumers should also be aware about the situation and know that the supply of
goods has not been stopped," he said.
People still doubt the capacity of the
government in maintaining the supply of essential goods.
The minister is aware of this fact. He
said, "We have set toll free telephone numbers and hotlines to hear the
compliant of people. Citizens should also be responsible," he said.
He is for the close coordination between
the government and consumers where people play the role of the market monitors
to keep the market clean.
When consumers become ready to pay higher
prices to get the things they want, it would only support the black marketers
and criminals.
The minister who actively participated in
the market monitoring in the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara in the last couple of
weeks had seen people buying a sack full of salt (50 kg) for a family of five.
According to him, petroleum oil supply
situation is normal; however, clear stock of LP gas has created panic for a
while. The stock was cleared as people started collecting as much cylinders as
possible.
There is no constraints in supply, it is
the consumers’ tendency to collect multiple cylinders and black marketing and
hoarding by some industries and dealers that has sent negative messages to the
people, said Minister Bhatta.
However, he stressed on more rigorous
market monitoring to ensure the smooth supply of the goods to the consumers.
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and
Supplies has asked the Ministry of
General Administration for additional human resources for the Department of
Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection which is the focal agency for the
regulation and monitoring of the market in the country.
Likewise, it has asked the district administration
to be more active in monitoring the market and report if there is short supply
of any goods, and discussed the issue with the business bodies like the
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of
Commerce, Association of Pharmaceuticals Producers of Nepal, Gas Industry
Association, Gas Dealers Association and other responsible agencies.
"We have appealed to the industries
and dealers as well as the consumers not to exhibit panic and store the goods.
Black marketers and hoarders were fined as much as Rs. 300,000. I have asked
the gas industries myself to facilitate the supply chain and not to disturb the
market," said Bhatta.
According to him, the pharmaceuticals
industries and Department of Drug Administration have assured that there was
medicine stock for at least six months.
He also said that the government was taking
the CVID-19 threat as an opportunity to expand the pharmaceutical industry.
"The government is ready to facilitate the pharmaceuticals to make the
country self-reliant in 80 per cent of medicines," he said. "I have
talked with the Indian ambassador about releasing the medicines from India.
India is positive about sending medicines both stuck at the border and
restricted by the government."
If there is a border seal for health
reasons, it wouldn't be like the blockade and both the countries will
facilitate each other as much as possible and the essential medicines as well
as other goods will be supplied in a coordinated way, said Minister Bhatta.
Talking about the impact of the COVID-19 on
the industrial sector, he said that some of the government and private sector
projects such as Dhaubadi Iron Industry and petroleum drilling in Dailekh had
already been affected.
Industrial
villages in the local bodies
Minister Bhatta said that the government
was planning to establish industrial villages in 37 local bodies within this
fiscal year. The government had the target of 70 such villages this year but
the Memorandum of Understanding was signed with only 37 units.
There is a plan to establish industrial
villages in all local bodies within next five years.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 March 2020.
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