Promptly take up schemes directly benefiting people: Koirala
KATHMANDU:
Finance Minister Shankar Prasad Koirala has said that nobody has the privilege to amass the tax-payers' money in unproductive way or to misuse it.
Speaking in the quarterly review meeting of the Ministry of Industry here on Thursday, Koirala, who is also looking after the Ministry portfolio, called for promptly proceeding ahead with programmes that are mentioned in the budget and directly benefit the people.
He said that an investment-friendly environment has been created at present. "The physical and fiscal progress made by the Ministry during the first quarter is satisfactory," he said, adding that even the Company Registrar's Office which receives complaints from all sides has started online services.
The Minister for Industry urged the departments and divisions concerned to come up with reform programmes and said there would not be any shortage of resources for the same. He also informed the meeting that the Industrial Development Act has reached the Cabinet for approval.
The Finance Minister also said that collaboration between the government and the private sector was moving ahead intensively. "It would be a milestone in the industry sector if the Special Economic Zone concept could be taken forward more effectively and vigorously," he said and urged the concerned to immediately reach a conclusion regarding what could be done in connection with the Butwal Yarn, the Nepal Drug Limited and the Magnesite Company which are on the verge of bankruptcy, as was done with regard to the Janakpur Cigarette Factory.
Expressing happiness over the country gradually becoming self-reliant on cement production, the Minister for Industry hoped that the country's cement industry would be able to export cement within a couple of years with government's incentives.
Secretary at the Ministry of Industry Krishna Gyawali directed the subordinate bodies to become serious towards the agenda that identify the ministry and stressed the need of fulfilling the government's commitment of making electricity and transportation services accessible at the mines.
Joint Secretary duo Jeet Bahadur Thapa and Yam Kumari Khatiwada called for expediting the works on preparing the industry profile and declaring the Prime Minister's Industry National Award.
On the occasion, the Chiefs of the departments, projects and bodies under the Ministry of Industry briefed the meeting on the progress made by their respective offices and the works to be carried out in the coming days.
Source: THT
