Promotion of industry top priority of government: Minister Rijal

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, May 1: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ramesh Rijal has said that the government is serious about solving the problems noticed in the industrial sector.

Inaugurating the 18th annual general meeting and the 10th convention of the Federation of Industries in Nepal Industrial Estate in the capital, Minister Rijal said that the government was ready to provide necessary support for the promotion and development of industries. He also added that the development and promotion of industry was the highest priority of the government.

He criticised the Industrial District Management Limited for holding the amount to be spent on infrastructure development in a bank account and earning interest.

Minister Rijal directed the concerned officials to pay special attention to mobilise the amount for the development and promotion of industries in the country.

He said that he was preparing to appoint a new general manager in the Industrial Area Management Limited soon, and that the general manager would also be given the responsibility of adding two new industrial areas.

He also said that he had given high priority to the construction of a new industrial area in Shaktikhor, Chitwan.

As Industrial District Management Limited is an autonomous body, and its board of directors also includes industrialists, he requested to find solutions to the surfaced problems from the same structure.

On the occasion, industrialists said that most of the industrial areas across the country and the industries were pushing them into crisis.

They said that locals, political parties, local governments and even the Industrial District Management Limited themselves were meting out injustice in the industrial sector.

President of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) Vishnu Kumar Agrawal pointed out that the industrialists were being treated unfairly while renting out the land and buildings in the industrial areas.

He said that pressure was being exerted to move the industrial areas established a decade ago from various sectors and the government should take proper decision immediately.

The industrialists and the private sector should not be discouraged, he said, adding that the government should protect the industrialists by taking a decision on such issues.

Anjan Shrestha, senior vice president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, expressed his worry saying that during the establishment of the industrial estate, it was located far away from the settlements and in a safe place, but later human settlements were established.

President of Federation of Industries in Nepal Industrial Estate Ramhira Pathak alleged that the Industrial District Management Limited, which is supposed to play the role of industry promotion, has become a profit-seeking body instead of playing the role of industry promoter.

He suggested for the promotion of the industrial sector by classifying the land and not allowing the development of settlements in the industrial sector, the rent in the industrial sector should be prepared and implemented based on scientific standards and more investment should be made in the promotion and modernisation of the infrastructure of the industrial area. 

The AGM has nominated new executive committee of the Federation under the leadership of Ramhira Pathak.