PM’s India visit to boost trade

Kathmandu, July 26 (RSS):Nepali entrepreneurs appear convinced that the forthcoming India visit by a Nepali Prime Minister after four years will make a new leap in various aspects of Indo-Nepal relations and help intensify economic activities and reach agreement on other issues.

They stressed that the visit should especially focus on economic issues and help create an atmosphere conducive for promoting trade between the two countries.

Talking to RSS today, president of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Pradip Man Shrestha said, "We are optimistic that the visit will give a new turn to the existing trade relations, improve the situation marked by coldness and make relations more friendly."

Indian entrepreneurs and their organisations will be apprised of the problems Nepalese entrepreneurs are facing at Calcutta port, use of Bombay and Kandala ports, safety of the entrepreneurs, search of tourism markets and hassles while determining quality of exported items, Mr Shrestha said, adding there should be an agreement between the Nepalese Bureau of Standards and the Indian counterpart and quality of Nepalese products should be recognized.

The FNCCI president also demanded that the West Bengal government should sympathetically consider the conditions under which fare is collected from every vehicle except the port charge also and the demurrhage we have to pay for storing goods for long due to strikes.

Mr Shrestha also expressed the view that Nepalese entrepreneurs should be allowed to invest in India, insurance companies and banks of Nepal allowed to open their branch offices there and the people should not be prevented from carrying Indian currency notes of Rs 500 denomination.

Former president of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce Mahesh Kumar Agrawal noted that the Prime Minister’s forthcoming visit is aimed at enhancing bilateral economic relations and spoke of the need to open Indian market not only for industry but also for commerce.

It will help increase employment if we could export Kodak items by paying customs tax, he further said.

Mr Agrawal also spoke of the need to prepare infrastructure for making significant contributions to tourism development, provide facilities to Indian tourists, mobilize Indian investment in Nepal in view of its market and develop the networking of computer, communication and electronic goods, adding India should assist Nepal in information technology.

Executive manager of the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry Keshav Man Singh pointed out the need to remove additional four per cent tax on Nepali products levied by India, build small laboratories at customs points and link Birgunj, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa with railway line.

Mr Singh also demanded that feasibility study should be carried out in Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali rivers for operating waterways services.

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