Friday, September 6, 2019

Private sector also responsible in achieving SDGs: Finance Minister

Finance Minister Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada today said that the private sector should play a responsible role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Addressing the second day of third Responsible Business Summit – organised by National Business Initiative (NBI) under the theme of ‘responsible business for sustainable development’ – in Kathmandu today, he urged the private sector to raise investments in coordination with the government to achieve the SDG in time. “The private sector is key partner of government in achieving the SDGs within the deadline,” he said, adding that Nepal needs huge investment in every sector ranging from health, education to infrastructure to achieve the SDGs. “Investment from the private sector is crucial to bridge the large financing gap that the country has in materialising these goals.
Khatiwada – addressing the two-day summit – said that two-thirds or at least 50 per cent – of the total investment that the country needs to achieve the SDGs – of the required fund has to come from the private sector. “Though every sector needs to be responsible towards ensuring the country in achieving the development goals, the government is always open to discussing and formulating new policies to support business growth and development,” he said, adding that the government has formulated different policies recently focusing on making all stakeholders, including the government and the private sector, responsible for development and growth. He also said that achieving SDGs is not just the responsibility of the federal government but also of the local and provincial governments, and also the general people, as SDGs are common development agendas of the world and goal of the country.
But the finance minister urged all stakeholders to maintain accountability and transparency in the journey of growth and development.
Former vice chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr Swarnim Wagle, on the occasion, said that though the government has tried to ease and promote doing business and development on paper, implementation of those policies has been very tepid.
He also said that the government should effectively exercise its provisions highlighted in papers or policies. “The cost and ease of doing business and trade along with problems regarding tax system still remain the same,” he said, adding that the two-third majority government should be able to take a few bold and courageous. “But implementable decisions in a bid to drive the country’s economic growth and development are the need of the hour.”
The participants at the event also urged the federal government to effectively and evenly mobilise resources in a bid to achieve uniformity in development. “The provincial government is not in a position to generate even 10 per cent of required resources for development,” vice-chairman of the Planning Commission of Province 1 Subodh Pyakurel said – addressing a panel session on federal economy – adding that the federal government should support the provincial governments in generating resources and also ensure its wise distribution.
Likewise, Provincial Policy Commission vice chair of Province 2, Haribansha Jha said that the government should simplify the tax administration and provide incentives to investors and entrepreneurs for growth and development in each province.

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