The Nepali market is growing fast. But our business and production are not doing well enough to support the market. We have to work at 15 percent capacity even on essential items.
Nepal witnessed a lockdown. People could not have feasts. The local administration stopped it. Even when there was no work, we had to pay all the money. The staff had to be taken care of.
Due to the decrease in demand, the supply also decreased. There was absolutely no support from the government. It asked for the use of indigenous products. How many indigenous products do we have that can be run on non-imported raw materials?
They levy a 30% customs duty on the materials we bring, they levy 5% on others. How can we compete in such a situation?
We do not get machines easily. The sand is ours, we have to import cement from outside. We have not focused on these issues.
Due to the coronavirus, the price of many goods fell in the market. Much damage has been done. Goods that are about to expire had to be sold at a low price.
A country cannot progress by making meaningless political speeches. A country cannot develop by taking foreign loans.
When the selling price goes lower than the cost price, how can one sustain? Yet, the revenue should be paid as per the cost price.
Now the Ministry of Finance has distributed licenses. If all the money goes there, where will the money for the development budget come from? At the same time, some big projects have come up.
If you have to take the money and deposit it in the bank, how will that money be safe? When we suggest to the ministers that we should make the market better, unfortunately, they ask us if we are the authority to direct them.
Coronavirus, blockade, and earthquake have all caused us a lot of problems. The business has shrunk to 70 percent. Now dengue infection has increased in the Valley. I do not see any presence of the government in addressing it.
Paracetamol itself is not available in the market. When we are running the government and administration of the country by taking loans from abroad, how are our development and prosperity possible?
A country cannot progress by making meaningless political speeches. A country cannot develop by taking foreign loans.
No one should be the cause of making the country poorer by taking loans from within. If something terrible is happening, it must be stopped now.
(Based on Shrestha’s views at an interaction program held at the Pavilion Hall, Durbar Marga in Kathmandu)
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