Kathmandu, Dec 28: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has directed the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to carry out works giving high priority to the startup businesses targeting the youth.
In a discussion related to the Ministry of Industry held in Singha Durbar on Thursday, the PM instructed the Ministry to run business promotion campaign in all seven provinces through the ‘Business Incubation Centre’ for motivating youths with innovative ideas and zeal towards entrepreneurship.
“Please prepare a special plan for linking the innovative ideas of at least 20 thousand youths to the production of goods and services and for managing ‘job meter’ for measuring the self-employment, startup and the employment created by various enterprises by mobilising the Startup Fund,” the Prime Minister directed the Ministry.
Stressing on the need of making the diplomatic missions of the Government of Nepal focused on promoting industries and commerce, he directed the bodies concerned to move ahead by preparing the required plan, mechanism and programme to that end.
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Ramesh Rijal, shared that there were obstructions in operating the determined programmes due to the paucity of fund allocated for the promotion of industries and businesses, stressing on the need of seeking an integrated solution to this problem from the government side.
Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal directed the Ministry to implement the topics covered in the Prime Minister’s address to the nation on Tuesday by preparing an action plan. He said from now on the evaluation would be done on the basis of ministry-wise data. The Chief Secretary also instructed the Ministry Secretaries to carry out works giving priority to areas declared as industrial zone.
Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Narayan Prasad Sharma Duwadi, made a presentation on the condition of the ministry, status of progress and on challenges and upcoming programmes.
On the occasion, he underscored the need of alignment among the new policies, plans programmes and budget, saying that the programmes were in scattered condition due to the lack of inter-agency coordination and integration of policies. He added that the Ministry was focussed on entrepreneurship promotion, upgrading of small, cottage and micro enterprises, development of industrial and trade infrastructures, capacity building of employees and innovative programmes.
Secretary Duwadi stressed on advocating for promotion of Nepal’s industries and commerce in the bilateral and multilateral forums. He said the concept of Startup Business with the slogan ‘Rise Up Nepal Campaign’ has been brought for promoting entrepreneurship among the youth.
He further said that deadline should be fixed for the environmental impact assessment and suggested integrating the programmes implemented in the name of Prime Minister and operating the fair-price shops round the year. Preparations have also been done for checking market inflation, he added.
National Planning Commission vice-chair Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha, member Dr Ram Kumar Phuyal, Finance Secretary Krishnahari Puskar, Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister Ek Narayan Aryal, among other officials, put their views on the occasion.
