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Kathmandu Monday October 08, 2001 Ashwin 22, 2058.
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‘No threat of war to
SAARC nations’
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Oct 7 - Though the Nepalese tourism
and industrial sectors are reeling from the global recession, an impending attack on
Afghanistan by the US would not affect the SAARC countries.
"The recent development has not been
encouraging for investment, however, it will not affect the SAARC (South Asian Association
for Regional Cupertino) countries," said Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat,
referring to the impending attack on Afghanistan in the aftermath of the terrorist attack
on the US.
"Much of Afghanistan lies in West Asia and
it has nothing to do with the South Asian countries," he said, inaugurating the 7th
Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Courier Service Association of Nepal (COSAN) here
Sunday.
He told the representatives of COSAN not to
worry about the global recession brought about by the war against terrorism.
He further said that the government is
considering liberalising its tight, restrictive policies and licensing system opting for a
free and open policy for the emergence and growth of service-oriented industries.
"Much progress in the private sector
enterprises has been recorded when the government interference is less but the sector has
not progressed much when the government interference is maximum," said the Finance
Minister.
He also hailed the Courier service as deserving
the status of an industry. It has done commendable work in the last seven years and in
providing employment to thousands of people.
Citing the emergence of the sprawling
service-oriented enterprises in the last ten years, Dr Mahat said, "today’s
context of development can be equated with the development of the service sector unlike
what we had seen until yesterday as industrial revolution."
"Before we could even notice, so many
changes began to show up in the service sector, this is obviously a hallmark of
progress," he added.
He cited telebanking, insurance, merchant
banking and hosts of other financial services including health, telecommunications and
others as examples of growth of service-oriented industries in the last decade. But he
vehemently opposed the propaganda that democracy has only been confined to paper.
He also warned in strong words that the
government is ready to take any action against corruption, mismanagement, and fraud, which
is responsible for hindering the development and progress.
Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, President of Nepal Chamber
of Commerce (NCC), said that the establishment of courier service has solved the problems
of delay and losses of parcels and letters which used to be delivered by the out-dated
postal service system.
The COSAN has 40 registered courier service
companies in major townships in Nepal and the sector employs over 2000 people. COSAN has
been pressing the government to recognise the business as an industry.
Gobardhan Pahadi, President of COSAN, demanded
with the government to recognise the business as an industry and to exempt courier service
of Value Added Tax (VAT), arguing that the state-run Post Office has exempted VAT.
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