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Kathmandu Friday October 19, 2001 Kartik 03, 2058.
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Relaxation of Labour Act stressed
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Oct 18 – Private sector has reiterated that the upcoming
revision in the Industrial Policy 1992 should be focused on relaxing the present Labour
Act and enhancing the effectiveness of One Window Policy.
After being participated in various interaction programs organised in major
cities of Nepal with an aim to incorporate private sectors’ view in the new
Industrial Policy, they raised their deep concern over the indifferent behaviour of the
government towards addressing problems related with private industries.
"The weak implementation of the Industrial Policy and lack of
inter-relationships among the Industrial Policy, Industrial Enterprises Act and Finance
Act are some of the major obstacles in ensuring more and active participation of the
private sector in industrial activities," they stressed.
Speaking on the workshops organised recently by the Ministry of Industry,
Commerce and Supplies in Biratnagar, Birgunj and Hetauda, most of the speakers said that
the frequent changes in the Acts and Regulations have faded the sprit of the Policy and
hence investors are discouraged to invest in Nepal.
A high-level officer of the Ministry informed The Kathmandu Post that private
sector was particularly worried about the existing Labour Act, which they argued is
totally in the favour of labour. Industrialists have been demanding that export oriented
industries and industries established with at least 50 per cent of the foreign
participation should be given the right to hire and fire labourers and all kinds of
agitation should be banned in such industries.
Similarly, ineffectiveness of the One Window policy has also ailed to attract
much needed and expected Foreign Direct Investments into Nepal.
During the interaction, government officials said the government is always
ready to extend maximum possible cooperation in addressing their problems but they
stressed that private sector should also be serious in establishing industries with
maximum forward and backward linkage that ultimately can contribute to reduce poverty and
employment generation.
Plagued by the less-than-expected outcome of the present industrial policy
and to incorporate necessary policies to ensure more effective participation of the
private sector, the government had formed a task force to review the Industrial Policy
1992.
The task force, headed by Govinda Prasad Kusum, Joint Secretary at the
Ministry, comprises representatives of government bodies and private organisations like
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Nepal Chamber of
Commerce (NCC) and will submit its report within six months.
The policy-reviewing task force began its work about a month ago under the
co-operation of Small Industrial Promotion Project (SIP-P) of the Swiss Development
Co-operation (SDC). Experts from SDC and SIP-P will also contribute in the reviewing
process.
The new policy would be focused on accelerating the open and liberal economic
policy of the government by restructuring the one window policy to stimulate Foreign
Direct Investment.
Similarly, the report would also recommend investment friendly programs and
policies to encourage local industrial investment.
The Ministry sources also said that the upcoming review in the industrial
policy would also be directed towards achieving the national goal of poverty alleviation
as the government has again pinpointed the poverty alleviation as the sole objective of
the upcoming Tenth Plan.
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