Officials of DoCSM say that they would put in place a specific mechanism so as to make market monitoring more effective acceptable to all stakeholders. [break]
“We have already created a mechanism constituting representatives from DoCSM, Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology, associations of industries and trading houses, consumer rights groups, and security agencies, among others,” Narayan Prasad Bidari, director general of DoCSM.
The department plans to make market monitoring effective and result-oriented in all 75 districts in this fiscal year.
“We have already directed all the District Administration Offices (DAOs) to submit reports of their market inspections along with the outcomes within 15 days,” Bidari said.
Similarly, Hari Narayan Belbase, director of DoCSM, said market monitoring activities would be carried out based on a pre-defined work plan and that guilty would be brought to book as per the existing laws. “Market monitoring will gain momentum this year as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse and Authority (CIAA) has already directed ministries to strictly monitor their respective areas,” he added.
So far, DoCSM was the sole government authority involved in market inspection.
“Everyone has the right to get quality goods and services,” Belbase said, adding, “Monitoring can be sudden or scheduled ones. We can take preliminary action against the guilty on the spot”
Meanwhile, the finance ministry has provided five vehicles to DoCSM to make market monitoring more effective.
Private sector, however, said market monitoring system should be made transparent. “Market inspection is a positive thing. But the government should give entrepreneurs certain time to adapt to the policy before enforcing it,” Gaurav Sharda, director of Sharda Group, said.
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