Money
‘Buy Nepali’ drive to be made more effective
The government has prepared a procurement directive that would require government agencies to buy local products even if they are up to 15 percent more expensiveThe government has prepared a procurement directive that would require government agencies to buy local products even if they are up to 15 percent more expensive in a bid to promote domestic industry.
Although the current Public Procurement Regulation includes a provision that government agencies should purchase domestic products even if they are up to 10 percent more expensive, it has rarely been implemented.
Speaking at the inauguration of the fifth edition of the Made in Nepal Expo on Friday, Industry Minister Mahesh Basnet said that the new directive would make it compulsory for government offices to purchase local products. “The directive will be sent to the next Cabinet for its endorsement,” he said.
The four-day expo being held at Bhrikuti Mandap Exhibition Hall has been organized by the Nepalese Young Entrepreneurs Forum (NYEF) in association with Rise Global, an event management company. The fair aims to promote domestic products and services.
“Although a previous directive exists, it conflicts with the laws. Amending the directive will certainly benefit local entrepreneurs by promoting their products,” he said, adding that ministry was also planning to make a private sector friendly policy to promote local industry.
Minister Basnet also urged banks and financial institution to invest in industries that are driven by youths. He added that the upcoming Industry Day would be celebrated as a festival of young and women entrepreneurs by honouring them and their products.
NYEF President Niranjan Shrestha said that the expo would help in branding and marketing Nepali products. “Nepali products are good in terms of quality and they are competitively priced. So we need to raise awareness among customers about using domestic goods,” he said, adding that they had been organising the expo every year with the aim of marketing local products. The theme of this year’s event is Our Products, Good Products.
The expo hosts 130 stalls showcasing a range of products like leather goods, footwear, garments, medical products, decorative items, textiles, handicrafts, furniture, confectionery items, fast moving consumer goods, dairy products and herbal items, among others. The fair has three separate pavilions for leather products, women entrepreneurs and herbal products.
The organisers have expected 100,000 visitors during the four-day expo. Visitors dressed in Nepal’s national costume or wearing a Dhaka cap will not be charged an entry fee. The price of a ticket for other attendees has been fixed at Rs20.