No registration charges for business run by women

Kathmandu, Jan. 6: The government is planning to introduce a policy to register businesses run by women with up to Rs. 50 million investment, without any charges.

In order to attract more women into the business, the government is preparing to waive off the registration charges of the companies run by them, Minister for Commerce Meen Bahadur Bishwakarma said at the conference organised by the Nepal Export Council (ECN) on the occasion of Second Export Day 2074 on Saturday.

According to the Minister, women should be motivated to involve in the businesses since they are more sincere and less involved in corruption.

Bishwakarma also said that the government was positive to raise the export incentives up to 4-5 per cent from the current 2 per cent if there were a significant growth in exports.

As the nation is having political stability, load shedding has been resolved, and labour wages have been increased to Rs. 15,000 per month, business environment has been significantly improving, he said.

Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Shama Oli said that the export was the only way to strengthen the economy of the country.

Sending a congratulatory letter to the conference, he said that Nepal should develop agriculture, and cottage and large scale industries in order to create employment, expand export and lead the nation to the path of economic progress.

President of the ECN Surendra Kumar Shrestha said that the political instability, shortage of quality human resource and lack of promotion of Nepali goods in the international market had severe impact on private businesses which has resulted in declining exports.

He urged the government to timely update export related laws and rules and establish a separate desk at the Tribhuvan International Airport to facilitate export.

Executive Director of the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC) Sarad Bickram Rana pledged his support to private sector exporters in participating in international trade fairs and exhibitions.

Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Toya Narayan Gyawali said that the ministry was soon holding a discussion with 15 ministries that have direct connections to the export business to diagnose the hurdles and find ways to address them.

Meanwhile, Surendra Kumar Shrestha is elected to the President of the ECNfor the second consecutive term.

The 20^th Annual General Assembly on Sunday has elected him as the leader of the association of private sector exporters.

Likewise, Hari Bahadur Karki and Resham Bahadur Pokharel are elected as the First and Second Vice-President of the organization.

Naresh Lal Shrestha is elected as General Secretary, Ram Sharan Thapaliya as Treasurer, Kanhaiya Lal Shah as Secretary, and Hari Prasad Dhakal as Joint-Treasurer while Abanish Pradhananga, Man Mohan Singh Malla, Ishwor Bahadur Gurung, Hari Dhakal, Raju Baniya, Basanta Raj Adhikari and Amrit Man Shrestha are elected as the members of the ECN.