Rajkarnikar, Pandey pledge to strengthen private sector

KATHMANDU, April 9 :

Two presidential candidates of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) - Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar and Pradip Jung Pandey - have emphasized the need to strengthen the private sector to promote investment.

Speaking at a program organized by the Society of Economic Journalists-Nepal (SEJON) here on Tuesday, both of them focused on similar agendas but differed on the issue of allowing Nepalis to invest abroad.

“Though there is a need to boost investment within the country to boost productivity, we should allow Nepalis to invest abroad. Nepali businesspeople are competent enough to invest in sectors like construction, banking and information technology (IT),” Pandey said.

However, Rajkarnikar said the government should allow Nepalis to invest abroad only after introducing necessary laws. “The government is planning to incorporate a provision regarding allowing Nepalis to invest abroad in the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act which is in the process of amendment,” he said, adding, “It would be wrong. We need a separate law for that.”

Rajkarnikar expressed commitment to introduce chamber law, promote businesses with social responsibility and make amendment to FNCCI statute.

Similarly, Pradip Jung Pandey also said he was for amending the FNCCI statute to keep a restrictive provision on membership distribution in a bid to clean the image of FNCCI. He was for promoting sustainable economic growth by protecting investment, improvement improving labor relation and creating business-friendly environment.

Source: Republica