US Undresecretary Nuland in Nepal

 Kathmandu, Jan. 29

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States of America, Victoria Nuland has arrived in Kathmandu.

According to the Embassy of the USA in Kathmandu, she arrived on Sunday evening.

During her visit to Nepal, she will meet with government officials to highlight our strong bilateral relationship and experience Nepal’s unique cultural heritage.

A U.S. diplomat for 33 years, Under Secretary Nuland has held numerous high-level positions under Presidents Biden, Obama, and Bush administration. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 January 2023. 

Martyrs' Day reminds of supreme sacrifice: President Bhandari

 Kathmandu, Jan. 30

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that the Martyrs' Day reminds one and all in Nepal of the supreme sacrifice made by the martyrs who dedicated their precious life for the sake of people and the nation.

"The freedoms and civil rights we enjoy today are the results of the sacrifices made by the martyrs of the past," she said in her message published on the occasion of  the Martyrs' Day.

Every year, Magh 16 of Nepali calendar is observed as the Martyrs' Day when people of the country pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives so that their fellow countrymen and future generations live in a sovereign, free and democratic society.

"I believe that progressing towards fulfilling the aspirations of sustainable peace, good governance, development and prosperity through the federal democratic republican governance system achieved through the sacrifices of the martyrs is a true tribute to the martyrs," said the President.

The President paid heartfelt tributes to the great martyrs Shukraraj Shastri, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Dasharath Chand, Gangalal Shrestha and all the known and unknown immortal martyrs who laid down their precious lives for the protection of civil liberties, democracy and nationalism.

"We have been marking this day every year by expressing our respect for the brave heroes who sacrificed their lives in the movements against autocratic and dictatorial regimes in various periods of history to make Nepali people free and sovereign citizens," read the message of the President.

She also expressed her hope that this day will inspire one and all to fulfill the role they have to play with sincerity to realise the dream of the martyrs to build a just, equitable, civilised and cultured society as well as a prosperous nation.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba in his message issued on the occasion of the Martyrs Day urged one and all to commit to realising  the dreams of the martyrs by forgetting all the trivial disputes to safeguard the nation and democracy.   

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 31 January 2023. 

Envoy Paudel meets Malaysian Home Minister

 Kathmandu, Jan. 29

Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia Dilli Raj Paudel has held a high-level meeting with the Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Minister of Human Resources V. Shivkumar.

He held separate meetings with the two ministers and discussed the expansion of bilateral relations between Nepal and Malaysia and promote mutual interests of the two countries, the Embassy of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur informed in a statement.

On that occasion, there was a discussion among them to increase the quantitative as well as the qualitative growth of Nepali workers in Malaysia, which is an attractive labour destination for Nepali youth. In addition to the effective implementation of the zero-cost arrangement for Nepali workers, there was also a discussion about additional employment opportunities for Nepali workers in Malaysia and service facilities for Nepali workers.

They discussed the issue of mutual interest at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels and advance it by helping each other to promote the national interest of both countries.

There was a conversation with Home Minister Ismail about the high-level visit to Nepal that he will lead in the near future.

 During the visit, the minister will discuss Malaysia's 'Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan' with his Nepali counterpart and high government officials.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 January 2023. 

Kishan Pipe fetes dealers

Kathmandu, Jan. 28

Kishan Pipe Production Pvt. Ltd. has honoured the best dealers.

Bishnu Prasad Pandey, president of the company, facilitated Vikas Agarwal of Rajesh Sanitary, Faniraj Pokharel of Dang, Ravindra Pradhanang of Kathmandu, Rajendra Makhari of Kathmandu and Ajay Kumar Pandey of Sanepa at the 13^th Annual General Meeting of the company in the Capital on Saturday.

Kishan Pipe Production has more than 350 dealers across Nepal. It has been producing CPVC, PVC, HDPE pipes and water tanks.

President Pandey claimed that the company produces quality construction materials and they are in high demand in the market. “We give high priority to the quality of products,” he said.

This company, which started 12 years ago as a tank factory and pipe production in Bardaghat, Nawalparasi, has now expanded into fittings UPVC, HDV, PVC red maldo tank, blow tank, boring pipe, etc.

Ajay Pandey, managing director of the company, informed that the company had moved forward by tying-up with Japanese brands which had immensely helped the company to produce quality goods.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 January 2023. 

A Philosophical Journey To Sex

 Harry, a character in the 1989 movie 'When Harry Met Sally', tells his partner Sally, "Men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way." The movie tells the story of these two who knew each other for years and are very good friends but always fear that sex would ruin their beautiful friendship. Earlier, James Joyce, a twentieth writer and literary critic, said something about love and sex which became an eternal quote: Love between man and man is impossible because there must not be sexual intercourse and friendship between man and woman is impossible because there must be sexual intercourse.

With some rare exceptions, these two analogies fit all human relations with the opposite sex. You might have heard about 'platonic love' in which sexual desire is either non-existent or is suppressed but this type of love is limited to fiction and literature, it doesn't happen in human life. Hermits, monks and yogis are being touted for suppressing sexual desire and following the rule of 'Brahmacharya'. 

However, for every man, this is something beyond imagination or practice. 'Sex' or 'copulation' has taken centre stage in their lives. Sex has become a secret, a taboo, a necessity, a product, a desire and a nature at times.  

Many young men and women live with a burning desire to have sex with the opposite sex. Shiva Prakash's maiden novel 'Samabhok' is an insight into the desire and effort that a man puts into getting a girl to quench his sexual hunger. 

The novel has Ishu as a central character who comes across three women – Subi, Mugdha and Sindhuka. These three women are not only the characters in the novel but the turning points in the life of Ishu, so in the story as well. 

You have read or heard stories of Nepalis who reach new countries in search of jobs or pursue higher studies and have told tales to tell about their secret or open 'sexual life' abroad. Many Nepali young men return home empty-handed from Malaysia and gulf countries, where they spend most of their incomes on girls, mostly Filipinos. Sex is a need, a fundamental biological need, for every man and woman entering into their adulthood. 

This is what Shiva wants to portray in his novel. The story of the book is philosophically divided into three parts: Book, Bhog and Sambhog (ravenousness, consumption, copulation). The first part deals with the hunger for sex. A young man follows, stalks and pampers a girl to fulfil his physical desire in the hope of having an opportunity for sex but the hunger of women is different, she exhibits indifference to the invitations, signals and demands by the man. She rather uses the man to fulfil her other desires like shopping and outing. 

It is another fact that many women find shopping more satisfying than sex! To satisfy his sexual hunger, Ishu is forced to fulfil many other pangs of hunger for the woman which he desires. 

There are three turning points in the life of a Nepali young man living in the United States of America with the entry of three women at different intervals. 

He has a wife at home in Nepal and unlike his friends shies away from going to night bars, massage centres or sex workers. He follows a woman who lives with her husband. Readers get thrilled every time he and the husband come face to face. No wonder, many young people living away from their homes and family would find their story in the novel. 

Subi entertains herself in hunger while Mugdha enjoys her hunger, and Sindhuka thinks copulation is above hunger and consumption. Sex for her is the way to find the supreme soul. 

The writer has presented the philosophy of life – hunger is the mother of all inventions (which might be adapted from the original proverb 'necessity is the mother of invention'). 

And this hunger could be for food, shopping, travelling, dressing, and of course, sex. A character in the novel tells that sex is the by-product of the body – children don't feel it, youth can't live without it and old people live having sweet memories of it. On the other hand, love is nonsense – it does not have flavour, colour and face. But another character says that love and god are the same because both don't have their physical existence but could be felt by the heart. The writer says that the world so far has survived because of the three - ravenousness, consumption, and copulation. 

Meanwhile, some readers might feel uncomfortable by the easygoing nature of Mugdha who is different from other women who have jealousy stuffed in them and die of envying other women. However, this jealousy in women as presented in the book might be a stereotype of them. But male characters also envy their friends but they say it bluntly on their faces. 

Shiva has resorted to a new style of writing; at times it reminds the readers of 'Taruni Kheti' - a novel by Saru Bhakta that figuratively tells a story of sex. 'Samabhok' follows the same path. At times, the reader may find it like another version of pulp fiction, too. But the book soon takes a philosophical course and surprises the readers at intervals. This book forces you to contemplate human relations between a young or adult man and a woman which are developed around sexual motives at least from either side. This is an entirely new and different world for Nepali readers. 

Short and quick sentences and simple dialogues have not only made the book readable but also impactful. It's not an easy task to treat such a complex issue with such simple and rhythmic language. 

Shiva uses everyday language to tell the complex philosophy of sex, an issue which is not discussed openly in society, not even in schools and colleges. 

If you want to change your taste in reading and consume something new in literature, this book is for you. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 27 January, 2023. 

Research suggests making Nepal a Bourbon coffee country

 Kathmandu, Jan. 25

New research has concluded that ‘Nepal is a Bourbon Coffee country’ and recommended that Nepal diversify the genetic landscape in order to mitigate the risk of having a single uniform genetic background –the Bourbon genetic background.

In a bid to support the long-term objectives of improving the Nepal coffee industry’s productivity and climate change adaptability by identifying the most appropriate coffee varieties in Nepal, the research was conducted with technical support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the European Union-funded EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Programme (TIP).

The Coffee-genotype DNA sequencing research report regarding coffee’s genetic varieties in Nepal launched on Tuesday.

Environment, farming/post-harvest practices and the genetics/varieties of coffee plants determine the agronomic performance of coffee trees, influence the climate change adaptability, efficiency of fertilizer intake to control Carbon Footprint, and the final cup quality, said the ITC and TIP in a statement.

During the research 104 samples of 26 coffee varieties from 13 nurseries across the country were collected and analysed.

The researchers said that the study was instrumental in broadening the better understanding of existing varieties in the country and exploring measures to improve selection, grafting and clones of high-potential vegetal material. Samples from both government and private nurseries, which are distributing plantlets to farmers, were collected to understand the genetic landscape of Nepali coffee.

The research also found that 70 per cent of the total samples have a clear Bourbon genetic fingerprint while 98 per cent of the samples collected from the private nurseries bearing local names have a clear Bourbon genetic fingerprint.

“Though genetic uniformity can be an advantage as Bourbon varieties are climate resilient and adapted to smallholders, it is also a major risk as Bourbon varieties are susceptible to leaf rust,” states the report. “Having a vast majority of Bourbon may lead to a major rust outbreak as happened in Latin America during the last decade,” the report further says. The research, however, found that government nurseries are maintaining genetic diversity.

The report also found that the genetic landscape in private and government nurseries is different. According to a report 98 per cent of samples from private nurseries are with Bourbon genetic fingerprints while government nurseries contain diverse varieties including introgressed varieties and Ethiopian-related coffee plantlets.

About 80 per cent of the collected samples by the research were traditional Arabica. Of the total samples, 71 per cent samples represent the Bourbon variety while 16 per cent and 3 per cent are introgressed and Ethiopian-related respectively.

The research was conducted in collaboration with the National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB), the Coffee Research Programme (CRP) of the Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC). 

InfoDevelopers, Pumori merge

Kathmandu, Jan. 26

InfoDevelopers Pvt. Ltd., a leading fintech and software company, and Pumori Division of Mercantile Office Systems Pvt. Ltd., a pioneering and leading IT company, have merged into one to create a larger fintech and software solutions company.

The two companies on Wednesday announced the strategic partnership with the merger.

The two companies will function as one to better serve Banking and Financial Institutions (BFIs) in national and international sectors, said Sanjib Rajbhandari, Chairman of the new company named 'InfoDevelopers MOS Pvt. Ltd.

He said that preparations are underway to create new products targeting the international markets. However, expansion of the products will be made by keeping the financial sector in the centre. The companies are active in Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Although the executives of both the companies did not disclose the actual value of the merger, it is one of the largest mergers in the non-banking and finance sectors as Rajbhandari claimed that on the basis of the intellectual properties it has, it could be the biggest merger in the country. Pumori software is said to have about 45 per cent market share in Nepal.

InfoDevelopers, established in 2002, is a leading fintech company that develops various Core Banking Solutions for cooperatives and microfinance companies. In addition, its more than 300 plus developers are engaged in various projects, product and service development activities for the Government of Nepal, bank and financial institutions, INGOs, cooperatives, and microfinance companies, informed Chief Executive Officer of the company, Umesh Raghubanshi.

Mercantile Office Systems is one of the oldest and pioneering IT companies in Nepal and its flagship Core Banking Solution - Pumori is the top banking software in Nepal serving BFIs as well as international banking institutions for over 32 years.

"With this strategic partnership, InfoDevelopers MOS will be able to provide a digital ecosystem to financial institutions from cooperatives and microfinance institutions to commercial banks including development banks and finance companies," said Raghubanshi.

InfoDevelopers MOS pledges that it is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition for all clients and partners with a new and robust system to suit the changing digital landscape. In addition, InfoDevelopers MOS will introduce international standard new products and features very soon that leverage the combined strengths of both partners, he said. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 27 January 2023.   

Experts stress budget increase in R&D

Kathmandu, Jan. 25

Poor budget allocation in research and development has negatively impacted the innovation and research in the country. 

While federal budget is very low about 0.3 per cent of the total budget, only 0.011 per cent of the total budget earmarked to the education sector is separated for innovation, experts said at the first National Innovation Conference 2023 organised by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) on Tuesday. 

Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Ram Kumar Phuyal said that the federal budget on research and development (R&D) is very low. "The budget to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST ) is itself less than the actual need. Only 0.011 per cent budget to the MoEST is earmarked for R&D activities in the education, science and technology sector in the country," he said. 

Only 0.3 per cent of the total budget is allocated for the overall research and innovation in the country. On an average about Rs. 17 million to Rs. 25 million is allocated for the science and technology. For example, allocation to research and innovation on science and technology in the current fiscal year is just Rs. 23 million. The total budget for this is Rs. 1793.8 billion. 

"At least 1.5 per cent of the national budget is expected to mobilise in the science and technology by 2030, the year Nepal aspires to become a middle-income country," said Dr. Phuyal. 

According to the experts and scientists, there are policies for better research and innovation environment but implementation is below expectation. 

Vice-Chancellor of the Kathmandu University Dr. Bhola Thapa said that advancing traditional knowledge in collaboration with the latest technology is the innovation need of the day in Nepal. "Replacing our rich heritage and products with imported instrument is not the innovation," he said and suggested the young innovators to find the solutions of the problems faced by Nepali farmers, business community and other sectors. 

Likewise, Vice-Chancellor of the Mid-Western University Dr. Nanda Bahadur Singh said that no expert, minister or even the NPC has ever discussed about allocating sufficient budget to the R&D. 

"Israel has allocated 5.88 per cent of the GDP for R&D. About 6 per cent of GDP should be allocated to education, but Nepal has allocated  only 4.6 per cent of GDP in education budget," he said while stressing the need for increasing budget on research and innovation and formulating law for patent rights in Nepal. 

He also said that corruption has marred the higher education sector which has discouraged research environment at the universities. 

Addressing the summit, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Shishir Khanal said that innovation means the future of technology. 

"We need to work on nano technology that could help people and communities. We need to find modern technology that are appropriate for Nepali society to support in the development of agriculture," he suggested the science body and innovators. 

He also said that there was also a challenge to retain talent and stop brain drain. 

Minister Khanal informed that the government was currently working an action plan for the development of science and technology in the country. Draft of the plan has already been prepared. 

Arun Bhandary, Chief Executive Officer of NAXA, one of the organisers of the summit and member of the National Innovation Digital Network (NIDN), said that accessibility and connectivity play vital role in innovation ecosystem. "Local government and governance are the large areas that need innovation and area to implement it. We have invited local innovators at various provinces and now are working with them," he said. 

Former Additional Secretary at NITI Aayog of India, R. Ramanan who is also a former (First) Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission, said that it is important that GDP of any country grows and people have better life so there should be a promotion of innovation. 

According to him, use of robots, 3D printing in manufacturing, automation helps enhance productivity and capacity of production plants. 

"Marketing your products across the globe with the help of digital technology including cloud services is easy. Technology and innovation have supported in creation of more than 100 unicorns in India in the last five years. There is a high potential in Nepal as well," Ramanan said addressing the summit virtually. 

Dr. Rabindra Dhakal, Head of Faculty of Technology at the NAST, said that the conference is important for development and extension of research and development and maximisation of science, technology and innovation and research in line with the federal structure and maintaining the provincial balance as well as to create a conducive environment for increased investment through cooperation and coordination among those bodies.

He also said that it is important to connect the innovators to the market and economy so there is a need to formulate policy that promotes innovation in various areas including science and business. To motivate the innovators, international experts and scientists will be invited to the conference to share their ideas while business leaders have also talk about connecting innovators with the business and industry.

The conference has also discussed about the national science, technology and innovation policy, innovation index, innovation areas, and innovation ecosystem for sustainable existence. 

The NAST has organised the conference in collaboration with The Asia Foundation, Robotics Association of Nepal (RAN) and NAXA, while Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and USAID were the partners of the event.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 January 2023.   

NFTA urges to recognise bill value at customs

 Kathmandu, Jan. 24

Nepal Foreign Trade Association (NFTA) has complained that the customs offices do not recognise the bill value even in the case of goods that are imported with payment from the Letetr of Credit (LC), shipped from the manufacturer and imported according to the guidance of the customs.

President of the NFTA, Binod Kumar Sethia, said that the transaction value should be recognised by removing the reference valuation book. He said that reference assessment is promoting practices such as over and under-invoicing and misappropriation of foreign currency in the international trade.

Speaking at a programme organised on the occasion of the International Customs Day 2023, Sethia drew attention to the fact that thousands of files applied for re-evaluation have been undecided for a long time, Sethia said that the harmonic system code of item classification should be increased from 8 digits to 10 digits and the practice of changing the classification for the purpose of charging more tax should be ended.

He also said that due to the lack of coordination between the ministries and departments of the government, users and businessmen had to face various troubles at the customs and other offices related to international trade.

Saying that high customs rates will increase unauthorised trade, Sethia emphasised that customs rates should be made scientific.

In order to reduce under-invoicing and protect the domestic industry, he suggested that customs should be levied on the unit of imported goods and demanded to solve the problems in the system of pre-ordering customs duties.

Similarly, the traders have stressed that the time limit for electronic payment at the customs office should be made practical, internationally recognized laboratories should be established at all major customs offices and the practice of sending letters to businessmen after years saying that the customs are invalid, he emphasized.

Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Toyam Raya, said that the government was every ready to listen to the problems of the private sector traders and resolve their problems.

First Vice President of the NFTA, Shiva Kumar Agrawal, said that private sector representation should be ensured at the customs reevaluation committee.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 January 2023.   

‘Dire shortage of aeronautical engineers hitting aviation sector hard’

Kathmandu, Jan. 25

Raj Kumar Chhetri, former Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, has said that there is a lack of skilled engineers compared to the number of aircraft being operated in Nepal.

Speaking at an interaction with journalists at the Nepal Association of Financial Journalists (NAFIJ) on Wednesday, Chhetri said that due to the lack of skilled aeronautical engineers, errors may occur in the regular check of aircraft. He said that even though the number of aircraft is increasing across the country, there is a lack of expert engineers related to it. "Skilled manpower should be increased in order to ensure the health of the aircraft," he said.

There are only about seven aeronautical engineers to supervise 51 domestic aircraft.

According to Chhetri, there is a situation wherein an aeronautical engineer of the ATR aircraft also has to inspect the helicopter. An expert of one aircraft cannot know everything about the other, he said.

He also said that service providers and regulators should be separated in order to tighten the regulation of airspace. He said that the government has advanced a bill to split the CAAN into a service provider and a regulator, and it should be completed at the earliest.

He, however, warned that there was no need to be highly submissive to the European Union's unnecessary demands.

The European Union (EU) has blacklisted Nepal's aviation sector since 2013, saying it is not safe. So far, Nepali airlines are still banned from flying to Europe," said Chhetri. "Even though the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has published a report that Nepal's airspace is safe, the EU has undermined our progress."

ICAO's world average compliance rate is 67.2 per cent. Nepal has now obtained 70.8 per cent marks. However, the EU does not want to remove Nepal from the blacklist, said Chhetri.

"When I was the director general of the CAAN, the EU had said that it would not remove the country from the black list until it is split," he said.

“Just because the EU said, it does not mean that the authority should be made into two bodies. But in the current situation, it is difficult to tighten the regulation of airlines and manage airports by a single body,” he maintained.

Chhetri, who is also an aviation expert, said that ultimately Nepal should begin the practice of having two separate bodies for aviation sector regulation and facilities management. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 January 2023.   

Revenue collection, capital expenditure remains sluggish

Kathmandu, Jan. 22

The gap between the government's revenue collection and total expenditure is still significant contrary to the hopes that the half-yearly payment of taxes and other receipts would bridge this gap.

By Saturday, total receipts of the government were Rs. 501.3 billion - 34.37 per cent of the total annual target of Rs. 1,458.6 billion. But government expenditure the other day stood at Rs. 588.9 billion which is larger by Rs. 87.6 billion than the income.

However, there has been an improvement in terms of reducing gap between the income and expenditure in January 2023.

Twenty days ago, on January 2, this gap stood at Rs. 113.5 billion which had raised the concerns of the government and the private sector since the government revenues were not enough to finance the everyday expenses of the government and loan servicing. The gap was of Rs. 45.8 billion in mid-October last year with Rs. 232.5 billion income and Rs. 278.3 billion expenditure.

Earlier, on January 21 last year, the government collected Rs. 600.3 billion in revenue and mobilised Rs. 523.1 billion expenditure.

Improving the sluggish revenue collection and raising enough funds to finance government expenditures including for the development works and debt financing is the largest challenge for the government amidst the economic challenges and looming international economic slowdown. Meanwhile, most of the development works have been halted due to government ban on illegal crusher industries across the country. Since most of them have not fulfilled the environmental and social criteria to legally use the natural resources, there is a risk of continued shortage of construction materials which will further hamper the progress at the development projects.  

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Bishnu Prasad Paudel, has been saying that his ministry is devising a strategy to boost the revenue collection and capital expenditure. Banks and private sector entrepreneurs have also been suggesting the government to increase the capital expenditure so that the funds could move to the financial system from the government coffers which will increase the liquidity in the market and push the interest rates down motivating the businesses expand their activities or start new ones.

Government receipts till January 21 (Rs. in billion)

Year	Target	Collection	Percentage
2022/23	1458.6	501.3	34.37
2021/22	1240.5	600.3	48.39
2020/21	1072.2	463.5	43.23

Source: FCGO

Government expenditure till January 21 (Rs. in billion)

Year	Target	Expenditure	Percentage
2022/23	1793.8	588.9	32.83
2021/22	1632.8	523.1	32.04
2020/21	1474.6	429.7	29.14

Source: FCGO

Capital expenditure till January 21 (Rs. in billion)

Year	Target	Expenditure	Percentage
2022/23	380.3	55.79	14.67
2021/22	378.09	52.79	13.96
2020/21	352.9	53.09	15.04

Source: FCGO

 Meanwhile, capital expenditure has continued to remain pathetic with just 14.67 per cent even after the end of the first half of the current fiscal year. In monetary terms, the government could spend only Rs. 55.8 billion from the total capital allocation of Rs. 380.3 billion. Only 21.2 per cent of the total budget of Rs. 1793.8 billion was allocated for development work which is just 7.8 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product of the country. According to the government estimates, the size of national economy would reach Rs. 4850 billion in 2022.

According to various studies, Nepal needs to spend 8-12 per cent of its GDP in infrastructure development only.

However, this is not a unique phenomenon since the utilisation of the development budget was just 13.96 per cent in the last fiscal 2021/22 and 15.04 per cent in 2020/21.

Underutilisation has been a recurrent problem in Nepal for the past many years which has severe repercussions in the development works. The government had formed various commissions and task forces to suggest effective ways to increase the development budget but there has been a little progress. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 January 2023.   

Conference on SMEs on Jan. 23

 Kathmandu, Jan. 21

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is organising a conference on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Lalitpur on January 23. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari will address the summit to be hosted for the first time by the business body in the country.

The programme is being organised with the aim of supporting the development, expansion and promotion of micro, cottage, small and medium enterprises (MCSMEs) including women entrepreneurs. The one-day conference would be developed as a flagship event of this sector, said D. B. Basnet, Chairperson of Cottage and Small Industry Committee of the FNCCI.

According to a statement issued by the FNCCI, during the conference, separate working papers will be presented and discussed on topics such as necessary policy arrangements for this sector, access to finance, market promotion, export promotion, and the impact on the business of upgrading Nepal from the least developed country status.

MCSMEs are an important part of country’s economy. While the contribution of industrial sector to the Gross Domestic Product stands at 5.6 per cent, share of SMEs is said to be about 90 per cent. About 1.7 million people have got employment in this sector.

In the opening ceremony of the conference, President of the FNCCI, Shekhar Golcha, Senior Vice-President Chandra Prasad Dhakal, Industry Secretary Dr. Toya Narayan Gyawali, and representatives from UNICEF, International Finance Corporation and International Labour Organization will share their ideas about this sector.

Similarly, the technical first session of the conference will be about business relations between large and small industries, the second session on access to finance while the third session will be a group discussion on commodity marketing, export, upgradation from the LDC and young entrepreneurship.

The conference will also discuss the efforts made for the development and promotion of the MSME sector in foreign countries. Information about the standards, documents and procedural matters required for access to finance will also be talked about.

It is expected that the participants will get information about the policies, laws, rules and procedures made to promote the MSME industry from the conference, and it will be helpful in identifying the problems faced by this sector and taking initiatives to solve the problems by the relevant agencies.

The programme is being organised under the leadership of the Cottage and Small Industries Committee of the FNCCI and Women Entrepreneurs Development Committee of the FNCCI. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 January 2023.   

WB requested to increase assistance

Kathmandu, Jan. 21

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has requested the World Bank to increase its budgetary assistance.

He requested the bank to increase the scope of budgetary aid in a meeting with the delegation led by WB’s Country Director for Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Faris Hadad Zervos the other day.

According to him, the Ministry of Finance will play an effective role in completing the necessary preliminary tasks for the allocation and receipt of budgetary assistance from the World Bank in the current financial year.

Mentioning that the government is committed to identifying and solving the causes of the problems seen in the projects run with the assistance of the WB, he said that he is paying attention to ensure that there were no weaknesses and complaints.

Appreciating the support provided by the multinational donor in various fields, DPM Paudel informed that projects such as Upper Arun and rural roads are Nepal's priorities.

On the occasion, he expressed his belief that the relationship with the WB would be further strengthened and said that the political leadership will help to make the projects successful.

Meanwhile, Zervos stated that he was aware of and impressed with the working style of the DPM and FM Poudel, and expressed his belief that projects supported by the WB should be prioritised.

He requested the DPM Paudel to facilitate the solution to the problems encountered in the projects run with the assistance of the bank.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 January 2023.  

National Innovation Conference on Jan. 24

Kathmandu, Jan. 20

The Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) is organising the first ever National Innovation Conference (NIC) on January 24, 2023 at the science body in Lalitpur.

The NAST is organising the conference in collaboration with The Asia Foundation, Robotics Association of Nepal (RAN) and NAXA, while Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and USAID are the partners of the event.

“The National Innovation Conference is necessary to boost research and development (R&D), achieve the sustainable development goals, bring together the innovation champions and maximise their role and understand and identify ways to strengthen Nepal’s position in the Global Innovation Index,” Head of Faculty of Technology at the NAST, Dr. Rabindra Dhakal who is also the coordinator of the National Innovation Digital Network, said at a press conference organised to inform about the conference.

This conference will act as a platform to highlight the necessity to innovate in areas that are core to the development of a country's economy. This will help bring together the technical minds and policy makers and have a thorough gap analysis done to help align the innovation goals and policy level bottlenecks with an intention to close these gaps, he said.

Since this conference is bringing together many experts to a platform to discuss what our country needs in terms of innovation and the policies to help it materialise - this amalgamation will, at the end, help identify areas that could be crucial for inclusive economic growth, said Dr. Dhakal.

According to the organisers, the conference aims to bring together people of government, industry, innovators, and academia. The conference provides an opportunity to share lessons learned, foster discussions, and policy exchange among stakeholders for enabling inclusive innovations that contribute towards social and economic development.

The one-day conference also aims to recognise the direction of the country’s development in the field of science/technology and its challenges. The conference will be run in hybrid mode incorporating virtual and physical methods. There will be panel discussions, presentations, and exhibitions. Likewise, innovators/innovation from all seven provinces will be invited to be part of the conference opening – an opportunity for them to explore and expand their innovation partnership opportunity with national leaders and government representatives.

Dr. Dhakal said that the conference is important for development and extension of research and development and maximisation of science, technology and innovation and research in line with the federal structure and maintaining the provincial balance as well as to create a conducive environment for increased investment through cooperation and coordination among those bodies.

He also said that it is important to connect the innovators to the market and economy so there is a need to formulate policy that promotes innovation in various areas including science and business. To motivate the innovators, international experts and scientists will be invited to the conference to share their ideas while business leaders will also be invited to talk about connecting innovators with the business and industry. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 January 2023.  

I work to deliver this time: PM Prachanda

Kathmandu, Jan. 20

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said that he will work in a way so that he could contribute something to the country in his third term as the Prime Minister. While inaugurating the 29^th Annual General Meeting of the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) in the Capital on Friday, he said that this time he would work keeping the interest of Nepalis abroad at the centre.

"When I was the Prime Minister for the second time, I had done some important work like insurance, labour approval and increase in the compensation amount for the welfare of Nepalis living abroad. This time, more work will be done in this sector so that it benefits Nepali working abroad,” he said.

PM Prachanda said that his third term is a challenging opportunity for the country's development, prosperity and good governance. "I have become the Prime Minister in a situation where I have to give something to the country, and I will give some good results," he said.

Stating that there are many problems in foreign employment sector, he asked the businessmen to pay special attention to it.

He said, "Last year, I heard the news that there were many problems in foreign employment. This business is sensitive. It should be organised and disciplined. There are many distortions and inconsistencies in it, which should be put to an end.”

He sought the support of the foreign employment agencies in government efforts to reform the sector.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 January 2023.  

Stakeholders stress on unfettered regional trade

Kathmandu, Jan. 19

 In order to ensure food security in South Asia, the stakeholders have emphasised the need to ensure access to the market along with the increase in agricultural production.

At the first South Asian Agri Summit held in Kathmandu, policymakers and businessmen said that since non-customs barriers have started increasing in international trade recently, it needs to be reformed. Although there is an opportunity to expand trade between the countries of this region under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), there are problems such as non-custom barriers in the export of agricultural products.

The two-day conference is jointly organized by Bharat Subcontinent Agri Foundation (BSAF), Tefla's and Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

President of FNCCI, Shekhar Golchha said that the conference will help in the marketing of Nepali products.

He said that for the smooth export of goods with comparative advantage of Nepal, concessions should be increased within the country and easy access to the international market should be ensured.

Sri Lanka's Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security, Nalin Fernando, said that since 40 per cent of the farmers in this region are marginal peasants, initiatives should be taken to increase their production and ensure their market access.

He said that the export cost of the agricultural product is very expensive in the South Asian region and many countries here import agricultural products themselves. "Special efforts are needed to ensure food security in such a challenging situation. I believe that if South Asia makes a joint effort, it will help ensure food security and increase farmers' income," Minister Fernando said.

Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, Ahmed bin Sulayem said that South Asia can benefit from the markets in Dubai. He also said that businesses based on blockchain and other technologies can be used to expand the agricultural market.

Industry Secretary of Nepal, Dr. Toya Narayan Gyawali, said that the discussion during the conference will help in promoting export and investment. He said that investment promotion should be given more priority in such conferences and interactions. He said that increasing investment will help in export promotion and import substitution.

Dr. Gyawali emphasised that all countries should reduce the items on the sensitive list to benefit under SAFTA and they should remove non-tariff barriers.

He said that if South Asia can increase the use of technology and remove trade barriers, this region can become a global superpower in terms of agriculture. There are about 400 participants from 12 countries in the conference that discussed about the chick peas, oilseed, grain and intra-regional trade. The conference that will run till Friday, will also discuss about pulses, sugar, spices and dry fruits. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 January 2023.