Speaking at the meeting, senior business leaders came down heavily on the government for sidelining economic agenda and not assuring stronger participation of the private sector while making economic policies.[break]
“The country is chalking out critical economic policies to match with state restructuring. However, private sector has been completely left out in the process,” NCC President Surendra Bir Malakar expressed his dissent.
He urged the government to include private sector in the debate and hold wider consultation with it while setting the role of the business community in policy making. Malakar also asked the government to come up with a concrete plan to boost the confidence of the business community and promote private sector development.
“We need industry-friendly laws and policies that foster investment. In the absenceof this, the much-touted ´industrial revolution´ will remain confined to words,” he said.
President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Kush Kumar Joshi, accused the government for not giving due priority to improving investment and industrial climate.
“The government talks much about private sector development and job creation. But in reality, it has done nothing to this connection,” he said.
However, Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who inaugurated the ceremony, committed all possible support to bolster confidence of the private sector and address their woes.
“We want to see participation of industrialists in policy making activities,” stated Khanal. He, however, did not elaborate how he plans to get the private sector represented in the policy making process.
Khanal also stated that the government was sincere toward getting the agreement reached between FNCCI and trade unions implemented so as to rejuvenate industrial environment.
“We have also begun homework to solve the labor unrest,” he said, adding: “The state can´t overlook the plight of industrial sector as it is also the plight of state.”
At the same time, Khanal stated that the government alone cannot solve the problems plaguing the industrial sector. He requested people and private sector to work in tandem with the government to work together for economic prosperity of the country.
Khanal also said the government was preparing to institutionalize the achievements of the private sector in order to make the industrial sector progressive.
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