CNI launches Swadeshi website and app

Kathmandu, Dec. 7

Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has launched the website and mobile application of the 'Swadeshi campaign', an initiative to promote Nepal-made goods in domestic and international markets.

Its President Vishnu Kumar Agrawal launched the website (www.swadeshi.com.np) at a programme on Tuesday.

Entrepreneurs who want to join the campaign can apply via the web and the app. All the information about the campaign, parameters for the quality product are presented in them.

So far, about 40 producers of the ‘Make in Nepal’ goods and services are affiliated to the campaign. Entrepreneurs who produce goods in Nepal or make more than 20 per cent value addition in the raw materials imported from foreign countries can join the campaign.

"CNI believes that industrial development is the foundation for the reduction in trade deficit, substitution of imports and sustainable economic development. We have launched the campaign with this message and hope that it will make quality interventions in industrial development and job creation," said the CNI.

When demands for the domestically produced goods increases, it supports the industrialisation in the country, said Agrawal. He informed that the CNI would soon present a study report about the policy interventions for the industrialisation in Nepal.

Vice President of CNI, Birendra Raj Pandey, said that the campaign was needed since the contribution of the industrial sector to the Gross Domestic Product had been continuously going down.

The initiative aims at registering about 1,000 industries with the Department of Industry (DoI) annually, creating 150,000 jobs, and achieving exports worth US$1.25 billion to US$4.6 billion in the next five years. It has the objective to increase industrial share in GDP to 22 per cent by 2025 and 25 per cent by 2030, the year when the country aims to become a middle-income country.

Enterprises that want to participate in the campaign can apply through the web portal and a Performance Committee at the Swedeshi will conduct a compliance review and forward the document to the Operations Committee which will give approval to use the Swedeshi brand, a unique logo featuring one-horned rhino, one of the many identities of Nepal.

Enterprise from agriculture, handicraft, building materials, consumer goods, manufacturing goods, clothing and garments, infrastructure projects, travel and hospitality, financial and insurance services, information technology, energy and services can apply to have the facility of using the common brand and promote their products.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 8 November 2021.