Kathmandu, October 17: The government has unveiled the “Immediate Reform Action Plan 2082 for Enhancing the Effectiveness of Public Service” to promote the development and expansion of the industrial sector.
The plan includes 20 action points for the industrial sector, 8 for the commerce sector, and 11 for the supply sector. Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Anil Kumar Sinha has announced that the plan aims to be completed within the next five months.
According to the ministry, the action plan—approved by a ministerial-level meeting—focuses on immediate improvements in service delivery to align with changing circumstances.
The ministry stated that the plan was developed through intensive consultations with stakeholders from the industrial and commercial sectors, with the belief that it will create a conducive industrial environment and pave the way for economic development.
The plan also specifies deadlines:
7 tasks to be completed by Kartik (mid-November), 11 tasks by the following month:
1 task by Poush (mid-January); 18 tasks by Magh (mid-February), and 2 tasks by Falgun (mid-March).
Some tasks will continue on an ongoing basis.
The ministry clarified that the plan was designed in line with the budget and programs of the ministry and its subordinate bodies, ensuring that the targets are realistic and achievable.
Among the key components of the plan:
Drafting the Company Bill 2082, Implementing the Small Enterprise Development Program for Poverty Alleviation, Updating the 2020 (2077 BS) Operating Guidelines of the poverty alleviation program to make them timely.
To promote traditional and indigenous occupations of the Dalit community and create employment and income opportunities, the Bhagat Sarvajit Skill Enterprise Development Program will be implemented by formulating a Working Procedure 2082 to provide policy facilitation.
The plan also includes establishing an Entrepreneurship Development and Startup Promotion Center. Under the Startup Loan Facilitation Scheme, proposals will be invited by Poush (mid-January) from startup entrepreneurs to provide collateral-free loans at 3% interest, with a shortlist to be published soon after.
In the mining and mineral sector, the plan proposes policy and legal facilitation, including the drafting of a Mines and Minerals Bill 2082.
Other major measures include: Preparing a National Productivity Master Plan; simplifying foreign investment approvals; improving the efficiency of company administration services; digitizing old company records, and simplifying company registration and deregistration procedures.
To promote investment-friendly reforms, the Company Directory will be immediately revised.
For industrial zones, rules will be amended to ensure transparency in service delivery and lease transfers. In Special Economic Zones (SEZs), land lease rates will be reduced from Rs. 20 to Rs. 5 per square meter per month to encourage new industries.
In multilateral trade, Nepal will review its trade policy at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and prepare an Integrated Strategy for Trade in Services.
The plan also includes preparing a strategic plan for Nepal’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) to Developing Country status, and updating the National Action Plan for Trade Deficit Reduction.
For foreign trade and investment, Nepal will:
Hold virtual meetings with Nepali missions abroad; reconstruct and operate trade infrastructure, including dry ports at Bhairahawa, Kakarbhitta, Timure, Tatopani, and Biratnagar Integrated Checkpoint, and hold bilateral trade mechanism meetings with China and a Trade and Investment Committee meeting with Australia.
In terms of service simplification, an E-Commerce Directive 2082 will be implemented, and import licenses will be issued entirely online.
To promote price transparency, the basis and standards for pricing essential goods will be set, and price analysis and publication will be made mandatory every month.
For domestic production and market promotion, the government will develop an online portal called “Nepali Production” to systematize the buying and selling of domestic goods in collaboration with the private sector.
Finally, the plan also includes: Installing flow meters at Nepal Oil Corporation depots; establishing a toll-free complaint system; launching a monitoring support system to strengthen the Department of Commerce, and ensuring food security by storing 25,000 metric tons of food in the National Food Security Reserve and 8,000 metric tons in the SAARC Food Bank.
People’s News Monitoring Service.
Comments:
Leave a Reply