Viber announces free sticker on Nepali New Year

On the occasion of Nepali New Year, Viber has made more than 50 sticker packs worth Rs. 10,000 available free of cost to its users for 10 days beginning from 7^th April 2016.

The stickers are an integral part of Viber, specially designed for users to express themselves better, informed the company in a press statement.

Viber is one of the world's leading messaging apps with more than 711 million users worldwide.

The company had launched Public Chats in Nepal last month. "Viber plans to expand its presence in Nepal with more local tie ups and local language based services," read the statement.

Anubhav Nayyar, regional head of Viber South Asia, said that Viber made the stickers available free of cost to add to the spirit and festivity of the occasion. 

70 percent value addition in felt products

With more than 70 per cent value addition, felt, a kind of textile used to make handicraft and other products, has emerged as one of the promising sectors for investment in Nepal.

The felt industry which launched its products just a decade ago, exported goods worth Rs. 1.15 billion in the last fiscal year. Felt goods of about Rs. 900 million were exported in the previous fiscal.

 “This is a very promising sector for investment which has benefitted both the investors and government,” said Naindra Prasad Upadhyaya, secretary at the Ministry of Commerce.

Felt is a textile that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. It can be made of natural fibers such as wool or synthetic fibers such as acrylic.

The felt industries use sheep wool as the raw material which comes from New Zealand.

“We import the wool of about Rs. 250 million to Rs. 300 million and export finished goods of Rs. 1.15 billion. Despite the earthquakes and blockade, the export of felt products has increased this year,” informed Naresh Lal Shrestha, president of Felt Industries Association of Nepal (FIAN).

According to Trade and Export Promotion Center’s recent statistics, Nepal exported felt goods worth Rs. 746 million in the first seven months of this fiscal which is approximately 12 per cent higher than the same period in the last year.

Last year felt products of Rs. 666 million were exported from Nepal.

Upadhyaya informed that felt handicrafts worth only Rs. 4 million were exported to Belgium and Germany a decade ago.

“The same industry has grown a lot and now it employs more than 50,000 people. The products are exported to more than three dozen countries now,” he said.

Nepalese felt producers are now producing shoes, carpets, purses, bags, garments, door mats and various other handicraft items including bouquet and lamp stand.

These items are exported to Australia, Japan, Canada, America and European countries while many tourists take them as gifts and souvenirs.

However, this sector is facing labour crisis because of youth migration. “Although we periodically run training programmes to develop skilled human resources, most of them quit the job in search of work in the Gulf and other employment destinations,” said Shrestha.

FIAN runs a 15-day training programme to train youths for producing felt products.

He urged the government to collaborate with the felt industries in creating skilled human resources. “We need a lab of international standard because the buyers always ask for lab-proven goods.”

Shrestha elected as FIAN president

Incumbent president of Felt Industries Association of Nepal (FIAN) has been reelected for the same post Thursday.

FIAN’s seventh Annual General Assembly elected 10-member new working committee of the Association.

Amrit Khadka has been elected to the post of vice president, Maheshwor Shrestha as the treasurer and Amodh Dharamba as the secretary while Bimala Rijal, Shanti Shrestha, Radhesh Shrestha, Chandra Mani Devkota and Sunita Shrestha were elected as the members of FIAN. 

Govt ready to work for export promotion

Minister for Industry, Som Prasad Pandey, Thursday said that the government was ready to collaborate with the private sector in export promotion.

Addressing the seventh Annual General Assembly of Felt Industries Association of Nepal (FIAN), Minister Pandey urged the business community to move ahead with new thinking and strategy, and promished that the government would facilitate them in developing the value chain.

“Import substitution is our primary goal therfore the government would facilitate in the development of the value chain,” he said. “This is not the time to lament or complain about the past activities, we should move ahead with new strategy. The government is fully committed for the improvement of business environment in the country.”

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) president Pashupati Murarka criticized the government for its cold response to removing the barriers in doing business.

“The government should not do much for the private sector because private businesses are capable of growing on their own. Instead of creating hurdles for businesses it should play a facilitating role,” he said.

He said that the political instability was the greatest hindrance to the development of investment environment.

Naresh Lal Shrestha, newly elected president of FIAN, demanded that the government should establish a lab of international standard, training centre to create skilled human resources for the felt industries, separate labour act for the felt industry sector, and facilitate the companies in participating in various interntaional trade fairs.

“The government has set same wage scale for the large scale industries and small or cottage enterprises like felt industry which is not just. Therefore, I request to the government to review the wage system and set different standard for the felt industries,” he said.

He informed that the Nepalese felt products were exported to more than 30 countreis including European countreis, Japan, Canada, America and Australia.

Products like Shoes, carpet, purse, bag and dolls are created our of felt. The felt industries in Nepal have employed about 50,000 individuals.

According to Ishwori Prasad Ghimire, executive director of Trade and Export Promotion Centre, felt products worth more than Rs. 1 billion exported to various countries last year.

“Felt industry is women friendly industry therfore the government should take initiation to develop it,” said Sharada Rijal, founder president of FIAN.

Commerce secretary Naindra Prasad Upadhyaya said that the felt industry was a promishing sector in Nepal. 

Experts urge for greater trade integration in SA

Dhaka, Bangladesh, Apr. 7: Businesspersons, civil society members and government officials of BBIN, a SAARC sub-regional group that includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, have called for greater regional trade integration in the South Asia, and urged the four nations for the increased movement of people and goods across the border.

 Saying that it was impossible for any neighbour to grow alone, the experts underscored that need to minimize obstacles in trade in the sub-region as the custom clearance issues were paramount.

“We had tough time in the region because of mistrust and division. Now, every country in the region must work to ensure that the supply chain is not broken because if the trade supply-chain is broken, it takes decades to put it on track,” said Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, senior secretary of Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh.

He expressed Bangladesh’s desire to improve trade relations with the regional partners.

Selim Rehman, professor of Economics at the Dhaka University, suggested identifying the non-tariff measures (NTMs) that were hindering trade in the region and the institutions relevant for the NTMs, and work with the exporters and their associations to improve the trade relations and increase intra-regional trade.

He warned that the downward trajectory of Indian import from the region and upward trend of Nepalese and Bhutanese export to India could have severe repercussions in the economy of smaller neighbours.

“Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal have become more region-oriented. However, Nepal and Bhutan’s export trade is highly concentrated to India, 59.5 per cent ad 69 per cent respectively,” said Rehman.

Pritam Benerjee, senior director corporate policy (South Asia) of Deutsche Post DHL, urged the four nations to implement the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement at the earliest to ensure the smooth movement of goods to boost the trade.

After the agreement couldn’t be endorsed at the SAARC level, the four countries signed the Motor Vehicle Agreement in June last year. The agreement aims at allowing seamless movement of vehicles across BBIN regional borders.

Separate protocols covering the administration, registration, regulation and monitoring of temporary movement of different categories of vehicles are being developed and finalized by the governments of the four countries.

“Our region is lagging behind in developing better connectivity. Once the BBIN connectivity is created well, the region can be connected to the South East Asia through IMT (India-Myanmar-Thailand) road network,” Benerjee said.

He said that cross-border vehicle movement was very common all over the globe whereas the South Asia and South East Asia had been so far afraid to endorse it.

He urged the governments of the four nations to improve the infrastructure at the borders and highways.

Sonam Tashi from Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bhutan, underscored the need to address challenges at the bilateral level first before trying to improve the things at the sub-regional level.

Savithri Lakshmanan, Director representing India at the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, said that the region needed some institutions where the nations could share knowledge and urged to create such institutions.

Kanak Mani Dixit, editor of Himal South Asia, suggested that Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh to integrate their trade with the bordering Indian states.

Zubair Ahmed Malik, Human Capacity Development Working Group of ASSRC-Trade Promotion Network (SAARC-TPN), stated that the change of mindset was required for greater integration in the region.

The SAARC-TPN aims at promoting intra-regional trade by creating strong linkages among network members, enterprises and small and medium industries. Its objectives also include delivering recommendation for trade facilitation and reduction of trade barriers.
The programme was organized by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka in collaboration with the SAARC Chambers of Commerce and Industry and The Asia Foundation. 

Poverty below 5 percent by 2030

Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the government was aiming at reducing poverty below 5 per cent in coming one-and-a-half decades.

Speaking at a press meet organised at the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Dr. Khatiwada said that although the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2016-2030 envisioned eliminating the poverty by 2030, it was not possible for Nepal to have it completely eliminated.

“Nepal achieved very good results in Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). The poverty was halved to 24 per cent while the maternal death rate was reduced by two-thirds. But, still we have a very high poverty and maternal death rate which needs to be improved further,” he said.

He stated that upcoming budget and periodic plan would include programmes to address SDGs.

Dr. Khatiwada underscored the need of foreign investment for the economic progress of the country.

“We will urge the developed countries to facilitate the foreign investment in and technology transfer to Nepal. We need investment more than the grants,” he said.

He said that the country should increase the investment in research and development.

He launched a book titled ‘Sustainable Development Goals 2016-2030: national (Preliminary) Report’ on the occasion.

CBS director general Suman Raj Aryal said that the book was an important document for the policy makers.

Importers demand India to lift CVDs on Nepalese goods

Nepal Foreign Trade Association (NFTA) Tuesday urged India to remove the counter-vailing duties (CVDs) while exporting Nepalese goods to the southern neighbor.

Speaking at an interaction with the high officials of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepalese export entrepreneurs asked the Indian ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Ray to facilitate in the removal of CVDs that India imposed on Nepalese goods.

According to Wikipedia, CVDs are trade import duties imposed under the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules to neutralize the negative effects of subsidies. They are imposed after an investigation finds, through its own examination, that a foreign country subsidizes its exports, injuring domestic producers in the importing country.

"Doing away with the CVDs will increase Nepalese export to India and will help to lessen the trade deficit of the country in bilateral trade. I request India not to impose CVDs at least for a decade from now," said Ramesh Gupta, president of NFTA.

He urged the envoy to facilitate in removing the quota system for Nepalese goods in bilateral trade between the two countries, and allowing the Nepalese importers to carry the goods from the third countries upto Jogbani-Biratnagar and Sunauli-Bhairahawa via train.

Currently, bulk cargo from the third countries can be transported only to Raxaul-Birgunj via train which has resulted in increased traffic at the border.

Gupta also drew attention of the embassy officials at the insufficient railway rack to carry goods from Kolkata-Haldia port to Raxaul or Birgunj Inland Clearance Depot, and complained that it had been forcing the Nepalese importers to pay high demmurage and detention charges.

The businesspersons asked India for the removal of the service tax that Nepalese importers were forced to pay on cargo and services.

Likewise, they requested to remove the provision under which a Nepalese citizen travelling to India from China must obtain a visa. "According to the bilateral treaties, Nepalese or Indian citizens don't require visa to travel to both the countries but if a Nepalese passport holder want to go to India via China, he/she must obtain Indian visa. This is not practical."

In response to the demands of the exporters, Indian envoy Ray informed that he would take the issues regarding to the CVDs to respective agencies in India.

"Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) at Nepal-India border will help to solve problems that Nepalese traders face in import-export business. ICP Infrastructure is ready at the Indian side, therefore you should force your government to constructure required infrastructure across this side of the border," he said.

He asked the businesspersons to suggest the goods that needed protection and the things that the governments needed to do in order to facilitate the smoots movement of goods across the border.

Likewise, Ray said that India should not impose any service tax to Nepalese importers. 

Govt soon to announce large hydel projects

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy Top Bahadur Rayamajhi Thursday informed that the government was soon to announce large scale hydroelectricity projects.

Addressing ‘National seminar on energy economics in Nepal’ organized by the Society of Economic Journalists – Nepal (SEJON), DPM Rayamajhi said, “The government is planning for result-oriented electricity development. The energy development master plan, which was announced last month, will be implemented soon.”

He stated that the government was planning to end load shedding completely within two years and aims at developing 10,000 megawatt electricity within a decade.

“Hydroelectricity is our primary concern however initiations are under way to develop various alternative energy projects. We have a challenge to perform the task within 5 years which couldn’t be done in decades.”

He cited issues like cutting down trees, politics, local’s demand and public procurement system as the hurdles in energy development in Nepal and said that the earthquakes and Indian blockade caused more delay and damage in various hydroelectricity projects.

“But, I am hopeful as there has been impressive progress in the last couple of months. We completed the Dhalkebar-Mujaffarpur transmission line project which is being used for the import of 82 mw of electricity from India,” he said.

He informed that the electricity act bill will soon be presented in the cabinet.

Sher Singh Bhat, deputy managing director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, informed that electricity projects of about 1100 mw capacity were under construction and another 1000 mw were managing financial closure.

“Prevailing legal framework seems to be an impediment for power sector development as well as its effective and efficient management and hence there is urgent need of a new legal framework on planning, sector structure, market, regulatory and consumer rights issues,” he said.

Dr. Sanjaya Sharma, joint secretary of the Ministry of Energy, said that the current laws and policies should be reviewed to create an enabling environment for the electricity development.

General secretary of Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN) Kumar Pandey urged the government to recognize the energy resources and consumption dimensions before formulating any new policies.

Former chief commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Surya Nath Upadhyaya said that the new electricity act would address many problems that Nepalese energy sector was facing.

Vice president of Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party Hridayesh Tripathi, chairman of the Legislature-Parliament’s Agriculture and Water Resources Committee Gagan Thapa and chairman of Legislature-Parliament’s Development Committee Rabindra Adhikari criticised the government for its indifferences towards solving the bottlenecks in energy development.