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Kathmandu Saturday September 30, 2000 Aswin 14, 2057.
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Industrialists urge for peace & stability
Post
Report
KATHMANDU,
Sept 29 - Industrialists and businessman have unanimously expressed view that the on going
Maoist problem has adversely affected the economic activities of the country and have
urged for solution of the problem through peaceful means at the earliest.
Speaking at a
Face to Face program organized by Reporters' Club here today, they also urged the
government and the political parties to develop all party consensus to tackle the
aggravating problem.
Speaking at
the program, Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) opined that investment has dipped down in recent years due
to worsening law and order situation across the country. Such decline in investment, in
recent years is the prime factor behind the weakening competitiveness of domestic products
in the international market.
Stating that
endless instability within the majority government is dampening the confidence of the
business community, Shrestha appealed to the government to come up with stable policies
and programs to address all the pressing problems.
Referring to
the recent attacks on multinational industries, Shrestha said that such activities has
send negative signals to aspirant foreign investors jeopardizing the much needed foreign
investment for the industrial development of the country.
Businessman
Banwari Lal Mittal said the worrisome fact is that deteriorating security situation of the
country is being reflected in decreasing industrial investment, which ultimately could
aggravate vicious circle. "Lowering investment would means that the economy would
fail to generate enough employment opportunities for growing labor force, which in turn
creates social disturbances."
Since the
Maoist problem is a political one, it should be solved in negotiating table through
indepth consultations with other political parties, said Mittal.
Another
industrialist Chiranjibi Lal Agrawal opined that peace, political stability and security
are the most important factors that determine the speed of industrial development of a
nation.
In the absence
of any of these things, the participation of private sector in economic activity declines,
he said.
The business
community was overwhelmed with hope that the law and order situation would be improved,
when a majority government came to power. However, the government has failed to fulfill
the much-awaited expectation of the people, he said.
He also blamed
the government for not handling the problem properly due to which it is becoming even more
complex day by day.
Binod Kumar
Choudhary, former president of the FNCCI expressed view that growing economic disparity
caused by worsening poverty and political frustration among the people are some of the
prime causes of the Maoist problem.
"The
recent incident of Dolpa district has revealed that law and order maintaining agencies of
the country seriously lack inter-coordination mechanism," he said. He further
maintained the view that intra-party feud has seriously hampered the possibility of
reaching an amicable solution through dialogue.
Diwakar
Golchha, second vice president of FNCCI stressed upon the need to stimulate the
development process, particularly in the rural areas as a long-term solution to the
problem.
The private
sector can offer full hearted support for the industrial development only in a stable
environment and it is the duty of the government to create such an environment, said
Golchha.
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