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Kathmandu Tuesday June 20, 2000 Ahsad 06, 2057.
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Home Ministry assures security to business sector
By a Post Reporter
KATHMANDU, June 19 - Home
Minister Govinda Raj Joshi has assured the business sector of effective security to all
industries, especially the multinational joint-venture companies. The Minister was
responding to the demands of business delegation led by President of Federation of
Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Pradeep Kumar Shrestha. The Minister
has assured its security assurance through a press release issued today.
Issuing another press release,
the apex body of the business community has mentioned that the bombing of Colgate
Palmolive Industry has created feeling of insecurity and fear among the industrialists.
The business delegation strongly demanded for the security of the industries, failing to
which would discourage the investment in the country.
Last Wednesday, Maoist
insurgents set fire on Surya Tobacco Company at Simara, and the other day they exploded
the major plant of Colgate Palmolive Industry at Hetauda. Due to the attacks, Surya
Tobacco has reportedly lost raw materials worth rupees 10 million, and Colgate Palmolive
lost around Rs 80 million. Colgate Palmolive has said the factory will not be in a
position to resume the production before five months.
During the
businessmen-government meeting, Home Minister, reportedly, asked the business sector to
take more security measures on their own too. He also mentioned that the ministry has
taken the security of business sector very seriously.
The Minister also proposed
further meeting with the business sector regarding the management of security measures in
the industries.
The FNCCI delegation comprised
of Third Vice-President Binod Bahadur Shrestha, Chairperson of Export Promotion Committee
Kishor Kumar Khanal, Chairman of Foreign Investment Promotion Committee Narendra Kumar
Basnyat, General Secretary Badri Prasad Ojha and representatives of joint venture
companies Surya Tobacco Company, Dabur Nepal, Nepal Lever, Colgate Palmolive and Nepal
Battery Company.
First Vice-President of FNCCI
Rabi Bhakta Shrestha, who is also looking after foreign investment and industry sector in
the Federation, talking to The Kathmandu Post Sunday said that multinational companies are
severely discouraged by the recent violent attacks.
Adding, Shrestha said, apart
from recently cropped up problem of security, the multinational companies are being
harassed on various other fronts. "As multinationals do not pay undue fees to get
their works done, the bureaucrats are very much oblivious of getting their works
done."
He also said that the
multinationals are also harassed by the tax people. "The government needs to hold
continuous interaction with joint venture industrialists," he added.
The multinational joint venture
companies hold 30 percent of the total export from Nepal. Except for ghee, which tops the
list of Nepalese export to India, all other major items exported to India are produced by
joint venture companies. These joint venture companies export toilet soap, candies,
various herbs in a big quantity.
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