Kathmandu – Federation of Nepali Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI) organized a policy dialogue on Legal and Procedural Reforms for Micro, Cottage, and Small Industries Development in Nepal with technical assistance from USAID Trade and Competitiveness on Wednesday in Kathmandu. The event marked active participation from both government and private sectors. The dialogue focused mainly on three specific areas of policy and procedural hurdles such as one-stop service center for businesses, online exhibition center for Nepali products and preferred treatment for Nepali products in public procurement.
The first session focused on provision of One Window Service Center to significantly reduce the hassle and operating cost for enterprises. This included registration, renewal, payment of taxes and other statutory requirements. “It is important for us to first define what are the services we envision to be covered under the umbrella of one window service center in line with the constitutional roles and mandates given to different tiers of government”, Baburam Gautam, Director General of Department of Industries stated in the dialogue. The second session promoted discussion around online exhibition center promotion for enhanced market access of Nepalese enterprises. Collaboration and joint efforts with FNCSI in the steering role were identified as one of the possible ways forward for increased market access of Nepalese products. “Provision of such dedicated online exhibition center would enable consumers like me to search explicitly for products and services made in Nepal” said Sishir Dhungana- former Finance Secretary of Government of Nepal. The third session was focused on challenges to implement the provision of increasing domestic products in public procurement. “The existing guidelines to procure domestic products even if 15% expensive in public procurement need further refinement in the directives, guidelines and clarity” Gobinda Bahadur Karkee, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies said in the event.
Umesh Prasad Singh, president of FNCSI regarded this event as one of the most insightful and effective events to bring together policy makers, policy implementers and private sectors together.