KATHMANDU: In the initial six months of the current fiscal year 2080/81, commitments for direct foreign investment (DFI) amounting to NPR 22.33 billion have been secured, according to data from the Ministry of Industry.

The Ministry reports that during this period, the Ministry has received a total of 226 industrial and business establishments commitments. Among these, NPR 22.33 billion has been committed for various foreign investment projects.

The Department of Industry revealed that only 27 proposals were received in the month of Poush (17 December to 14 January). During this time, 28 proposals were received under the ‘Share Purchase Agreement,’ accounting for NPR 4.1 billion in foreign investment commitments. There have been 31 proposals relating to technology transfer.

Tourism sector proves more promising

A significant portion of the direct foreign investment is observed in the tourism sector, constituting a large share of the total commitments. Out of the total proposals received in the six months, 103 are related to tourism, making up 45% of the total. The service sector follows with 83 proposals, contributing 37%, while 23 proposals in the construction sector account for 10% of the total commitments.

Additionally, the information and technology sector has received seven proposals, constituting 3%, while the agriculture and infrastructure sectors received four proposals each.

The Department highlights that compared to the same period last year, a substantial increase in proposals has been observed, especially in the month of Poush.