Kathmandu, October 3:

Garment Association Nepal (GAN) today expressed its disappointment at the government not having included any of its suggestions regarding promotion and protection of Nepali readymade garment (RMG) sector. “The government assured of development and promotion of Nepali RMG, but those assurances were not manifest in the budget for the fiscal year 2008-09,” said a GAN press release.

According to GAN, Nepali RMG in its earlier days was one of the highest foreign currency earners and also active in employment generation but due to various internal and external causes it is in a shambles. There was no plan in the budget for industries like GAN which are in immediate need of attention.

Pre-budget, GAN had raised several issues including budget allotment for the operation of garment processing zone (GPZ) that would have been a part of the Export Promotion Zone (EPZ) to be established in Simra of Bara district, lobbying for waiving customs duty on the export of Nepali RMG to America and suggestions regarding discounts and tax payments on export of Nepali RMG, said the GAN press release.