Thursday, November 28, 2019

Government vows to support SMEs

The government, as usual, promised to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Finance Minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada today assured that there will not be any shortage of budget for small and medium scale enterprises and entrepreneurs.
Inaugurating 17th Handicraft Trade Fair kicked off here today – organised by the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN) – he said that the government is planning to provide subsidised loan to handicrafts entrepreneurs to prevent shortfall of investments in cottage and small enterprises. “The small and medium enterprises have a crucial role to drive the country’s economy, and thus they will remain the primary priority of the government while allocating the budget.”
“Every bank has an SME desk,” he said, adding that the government has also directed banks to promote and prioritise issuance of subsidised loans. “The SMEs are a sector with the highest export potential and thus, the government and banks and financial institutions (BFIs) should keep SMEs under due priority.”
But he asked entrepreneurs to come up with proper plans on their production target, potential market before seeking support from BFIs and government. The entrepreneurs should be clear about the nature of subsidy they seek from the government.”
Urging handicraft entrepreneurs to set up handicraft centres across major tourist areas in the country in coordination with the government to promote Visit Nepal Year 2020 (VNY2020) tourism campaign, he asked entrepreneurs to set up a few such centres inside and around Dasharath Stadium also targeting the flow of foreigners during the South Asian Games that starts in Kathmandu from Saturday.
The exhibition is showcasing a wide range of handmade products including metal craft, pauva painting, thangka painting, outfits made of pashmina, dhaka and allo fibers, and handmade paper, and wood products – produced across the country.
The five-day fair has altogether 200 stalls including seven pavilions, according to the federation. “India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan are participating at the fair,” according to a press note issued by the FHAN.

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