Officials say existing laws can not control goods price

Senior government officials have said that the existing laws are not adequate to control the rising prices of consumer goods.

Speaking at an interaction programme "Consumer Rights and the Condition of Nepali Consumers' organised by Consumers Rights Protection Forum Nepal in the capital Sunday, secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purushottam Ojha stressed the need to formulate new laws to protect consumers' rights and check rising prices. He said that the ministry is doing exercise on this matter.

"We have laws that were introduced before three decades ago. These laws are no suitable for dealing with the present situation," Ojha added.

Scarcity of goods of daily use is not only a problem of Nepal but it's a global problem, Ojha said, informing that the government has put a ban on export of rice, wheat and paddy to other countries in view of the possibility of the food crisis in Nepal.

He further said the government had many challenges such as controlling black marketing, sufficient goods supply, and quality control, to regulate the distribution system.

Speaking at the same programme spokesperson of Home Ministry Mod Raj Dotel also claimed that the present laws and policies could not protect the rights of consumers. nepalnews.com kp May 04 08