Kathmandu, Dec. 20: Minster for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Prasad Yadav said on Thursday that the government inherited the economy that was in a bad shape and it was trying to keep the things in order.
“Once we correct the course of economy, you will see the change, and it will happen soon,” he said while addressing the 19th Annual General Assembly of the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association.
Responding to the demand of the business community that the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies should deliver some immediate results in terms of industrial development in the country, he said that there was a need to annul or amend many laws and overhaul the institutional mechanisms at various government agencies like Nepal Oil Corporation, Department of Standards and Meteorology.
It takes time to mend the instruments that are out of order. Let us first understand the situation in the country, business and economy, he said.
Minister Yadav blamed the private sector businessmen for involving in bribery and corruption to get the favour of the government officials and agencies.
“When I received complaints from the entrepreneurs about corruption in the ministry and its line agencies, I wanted to take actions against those who involved in corruption, but no businessman came forward when I asked them to support the ministry in its drive against corruption,” said Minister Yadav.
He suggested the business associations to develop a code of conduct and take actions against those members who involve in illegal and immoral activities like smuggling, under-invoicing and cheating the consumers with substandard goods and services.
“If the government takes action against a trader or industrialist for their illegal work, business association send delegation to the government to spare him, but when a sugar industry does not pay sugarcane price to the farmers for three years in a row, none of them ask it to pay the dues nor do they issue a statement in favour of the farmers,” he said.
He said that a sugar mill has still Rs. 26 million due to pay the farmers.
He urged the business community to help the government curb the corruption by not offering bribe for an illegal work.
President of Confederation of Nepalese Industries Hari Bhakta Sharma stressed the need of anti-dumping policy in order to discourage the import of substandard goods and machineries.
He also suggested resolving the liquidity crisis immediately.
“When one can earn enough money from the bank deposits, they might not take risk in investing the money and going through complex registration and doing business practices. It will have a long-term repercussion on business and industry,” he said.
Chairman of Industry Committee at the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Umesh Lal Shrestha said that manipulative policies and legal instruments have created challenges in doing business as the civil servants tend to interpret the laws in their favour.
“Most of the acts are full of punitive measures and have a few incentives. They should be corrected,” he said.
About 23 per cent household in Nepal use LP Gas and the government has a target to increase it to 30 per cent by 2022. There are 59 gas bottling industries across the country.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 December 2018.
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