Government made this statement condemning the sector’s remarks on government’s efforts in creating an investor-friendly environment in Nepal.

Speaking at a program held to mark the Industry Day on November 25, 2018, the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Yadav urged the sector to come up for a discussion in this regard to shed light on key issues.

Yadav confirmed that the government stands committed to bringing in a favorable environment to sell the country’s own products rather than promoting others.

In this regard, he extended government’s openness to work with the private sector and also his ministry’s willingness to collaborate with any other ministry to address challenges in the local industrial development.

Secretaries at the Commerce Ministry, Chandra Kumar Ghimire and Yam Kumari Khatiwada called for development of collective initiatives to safeguard the Nepali economy and highlighted industry’s role in achieving overall development of the country.

On the occasion, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Bhawani Rana stated that that the country could draw foreign investment only after formulation of relevant favorable policies.

Chairman of Confederation of Nepalese Industries Hari Bhakta Sharma pointed at the lack of any conducive environment to establish new industries.

Former president of FNCCI Pashupati Murarka and other industrialists including Sumit Kediya and Krishna Adhikari stressed on the need to bring in relevant policies in line with the current needs.

Director General of the Department of Industries Binod Prakash Singh briefed the session about the current status of Nepali industries.

Also Read :

• Biratnagar – Industrial Capital of Nepal
• Nepal Foresees Industrial Development Across Provinces with IEDI

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The Cabinet approved this proposal of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) on October 15, 2018, informed Matrika Prasad Yadav, Minister, MoICS.

IEDI has been limited to the central level since its inception in 1996 under the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute Act 1996.

Now, IEDI board’s new decision will promote it at the provincial levels promoting business environment in the country through entrepreneurship development.

The initiative aims to develop human & knowledge resource needed for business and entrepreneurship promotion in the country.

With focus on Research & Development, testing and implementation of world’s best practices in business development, IEDI has been actively supporting impact-generating activities such training & consultancy, enterprise and management development programs.

“Formation of such institutes in all provinces will help entrepreneurship to grow in Nepal and promote business,” says Industry Secretary Yam Kumari Khatiwada.

According to Khatiwada, IEDI currently has local offices in Provinces 1, 3, 4 and 5, which will now be operated by the provincial governments, and similar ones will also be established in Provinces 2, 6 and 7 upon cabinet approval.

In another update, the Cabinet has decided to limit the authority of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Authority to the Center.

Let’s hope more such enhancements to the existing policies and implementation of new measures will boost the industrial development in Nepal, thus also generating ample employment opportunities in the country.

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Under the national budget for FY 2018-19, the government has allocated nearly Rs 400 billion budget to 760 governments including 753 local units and seven provincial governments, with Rs 113.43 billion for provincial bodies and Rs 308.48 billion for local bodies.

All the seven provinces of Nepal presented their budgets for FY 2018-19 on June 15, 2018:

Province 1: With a budgetary allocation of Rs 35.936 billion, the Province 1 government prioritized development in agriculture, tourism and infrastructure development, among other areas. Province 1 allotted high budget for infrastructure sector at Rs 9.50 billion, followed by Rs 2.74 billion for forest, environment, sanitation & drinking water, and Rs 1.3 billion for industrial development.

Province 2:  Province 2 made a budgetary allocation of Rs 29.7838 billion. Out of the total budget, it allotted Rs 1 billion in conditional grants to local bodies, Rs 1.44 billion in grants for farmers, nearly Rs 300 million for the upgradation of Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital, Narayani Sub-regional Hospital and Janakpur Zonal Hospital, and Rs 10 million for the upgradation of Saptari’s Rupani Police Hospital into a Trauma center.

Province 3: With a budget of Rs 35.61 billion for FY 2018-19, the Province 3 Government managed to allot Rs 1 billion for distribution among 119 local levels and Rs 3.63 billion for various other projects across the local levels.

Province 4: With a total budget of Rs 24 billion for FY 2018-19, the Province 4 Government is aiming to achieve 8 percent rise in provincial income annually, and at 2500 US dollar per capita income. Construction of fast tracks from Korala to Pokhara and from Pokhara to Dumkibas are among other key projects.

Province 5: The Province 5 Government presented a Rs 28.9 billion budget with Rs 11.46 billion as administrative expenditure and Rs 16.62 billion as capital expenditure.

Province 6: Out of total budget of Rs 28.282 billion, the Province 6 Government has set aside Rs 400 million for financial management, Rs 1.20 billion for People’s Road Programme across seven constituencies, Rs 1.28 billion rupees for road connectivity among districts and connection with other provinces, and Rs 20 billion for various projects to be developed under Center’s assistance, private sector and donor agencies.

Province 7: Out of the total allocation of Rs 25.6 billion, the Province 7 Government allotted Rs 5 billion for infrastructure development, Rs 20 crore and Rs 10 crore separately for provincial bus operation and Hydro Power Development Board establishment, respectively, and additional budget for development across key sectors such as self-employment, tourism, agriculture, construction, security and social development.

Now, let’s take a look at the budgetary allocations across local bodies:

Kathmandu Metropolitan City
While majority of the 753 local governments have already announced their budgets, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) recently made it public its budget for the fiscal on June 25, 2018, touching a Rs 13.02 billion mark.

Presenting the budget, KMC Deputy Mayor Hariprabha Khadgi announced Rs 13.02 billion for the municipal assembly and Rs 3.06 billion for infrastructure development across wards.

Out of various other minor projects, the feasibility study and detailed project report for the development of monorail, electric bus, e-toilet and Sky Bridge received major push in the allocation.

Bharatpur Metropolitan City
Meanwhile, Bharatpur Metropolitan City (BMC) made a budgetary allocation of Rs.  3.34 billion for development across its internal regions.

With an 81-point list of special programs, BMC Mayor Renu Dahal allotted Rs 1.62 billion as capital expenditure and Rs 1.7 billion as recurrent expenditure.

With key areas on developmental priority, BMC is looking at Rs 556 million revenue collection in FY 2018-19.

As part of the developmental agenda, the metropolis declared Metropolis Ring Road and link road as ‘Metropolitan City Pride Project’, which is going to be initiated very soon.

An international-standard cricket stadium, sky bridges in three main areas of the metropolis and an entertainment park at Narayani River bank are among other development, says Dahal.

Birgunj Metropolitan City
With an internal revenue collection target of Rs 595 million, Birgunj Metropolitan presented a budget of Rs 4.94 billion for FY 2018-19.

The Metropolis has allotted Rs 2.61 billion of the total budget to the projects assisted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In the next fiscal, Birgunj is also planning a special program called ‘Prosperity of Birgunj’ for overall development and another initiative called ‘Local Tax for Local Development’ for raising tax revenues.

Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City
With a total budgetary allocation of Rs 6.53 billion, the Pokara Leknath Metropolitan has various local plans as part of its developmental agenda.

Some of the key projects on priority include: Preservation of Phewa and Begnas Lake, development of Phewa Lake Drainage Division, a feasibility study of Phewa-Begnas Monorail, development of seven local locations as modern agriculture pocket areas, laying of underground power cables,  construction of a tourist bus park, metro buildings, 30 connecting roads and Phirke corridor ring road.

For all these projects, the Metropolitan will raise Rs 4.33 billion revenue from external sources and Rs1.69 billion from internal sources, says Mayor Man Bahadur GC.

Biratnagar Metropolitan City
Under a budget of Rs 4.47 billion, the Biratnagar Metropolitan has allotted Rs 336.8 million for recurrent expenditure and Rs 3.25 billion for physical infrastructure, followed by Rs 200 million for social security allowance, says the Deputy Mayor Indira Karki.

Lalitpur Metropolitan City
Though the budget was not presented to the municipal assembly, the Lalitpur Metropolitan is looking at a budgetary allocation of Rs 4.7 billion for FY 2018-19, informed the Metropolis Executive Officer Hari Prasad Dahal.

In Total
In line with the Federal Budget, the local and provincial governments also gave top priority to infrastructure development across various sectors.

Besides the allotted Rs 400 billion budget, an additional Rs 20 billion has also been added as complementary and special grants to both the governments.

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The Industry Ministry Secretary Yam Kumari Khatiwada made a statement in this regard during her address at the 17th General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) held in Vienna on November 28, 2017.

Khatiwada, who was leading the Nepali delegation to the conference, highlighted that Nepal is on the way to achieve sustainable economic growth through industrial development.

In this regard, she called on UNIDO members and all other global partners to join Nepal in its efforts to achieve industrial objectives for a strong global partnership.

“International support is more pertinent for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) like Nepal,” read a statement by Khatiwada.

Permanent Representative of Nepal to UNIDO Prakash Kumar Suvedi and various other high-level officials of the Ministry of Industry and the Nepal’s Permanent Mission to UN in Vienna formed the Nepali delegation.

The five-day UNIDO conference that began on November 27, 2017 at the UNIDO headquarters, Vienna lasts till December 01, 2017.

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