KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle has urged the business community to expand investment with confidence, saying the government is committed to creating a favorable environment for investment and ensuring its protection.
Addressing the first session of the budget implementation discussion series launched by the Ministry of Finance, Wagle said, “The government is ready to create an environment conducive to investment and to protect investors.”
He said the government’s budget of Rs. 2.124 trillion is expected to support the country’s Rs. 6.6 trillion economy, with the private sector playing the leading role in driving economic growth.
Stating that the budget has introduced extensive reforms aimed at creating greater investment opportunities for the private sector, the finance minister also urged industrialists and business leaders to clearly identify any remaining policy barriers that need to be removed.
According to Wagle, the current fiscal year marks the first year of the government’s five-year economic roadmap. He said the government has already initiated a series of reform measures and that several more significant initiatives are in the pipeline.
He called on the private sector to work in close partnership with the government, adding that the government remains committed to supporting private enterprise.
The discussion, held on Tuesday, lasted for around five hours and was attended by more than two dozen representatives from the business community. During the interaction, Wagle assured participants that their concerns related to excise and customs duties, export incentives, and the banking sector would be addressed through an institutional mechanism.
Comment