Kathmandu, September 11
Speaking in the presence of Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle, the heads of private-sector umbrella organisations have urged state and government representatives to use respectful language when referring to businesspeople.
President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Kamlesh Agrawal, urged the government and political circles to use dignified language when addressing the business community. He made the remarks at a programme organised in Kathmandu on Friday to mark the 28th annual general meeting of the Society of Economic Journalists-Nepal (SEJON).
Agrawal said the economy had remained under pressure since the COVID-19 pandemic and that state-level initiatives were necessary to overcome the difficulties. He said competition was currently underway to contribute funds to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund following the government’s call for support.
On the occasion, Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) President Birendra Raj Pandey suggested increasing capital expenditure. He also called for removing existing legal hurdles to boost private-sector investment, saying that the confederation had been continuously working towards this goal.
FNCCI President Anjan Shrestha said successive governments had consistently blamed the private sector for economic problems and urged the government to stop doing so. “Everyone has only criticised the private sector,” he said. “You have come with the idea of change, so please do not continue this practice.”
He also said the private sector would work together with the government in the recovery and reconstruction of flood-affected areas.
