Kathmandu, June 3:

Subas Chandra Nembang, speaker of the Interim Legislature Parliament inaugurated the 41st annual general meeting (AGM) of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) - which will last till tomorrow - in the valley today. Although, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was scheduled to inaugurate the programme, he couldn’t make it at the eleventh hour due to his health.

Addressing the meet, Nemb-ang assured the private sector that the Interim Parliament would pressure the government to address the concerns and issues raised by the private sector. “The problem of private sector is not only theirs, it is the national issue and should be addressed accordingly,” he said.

Nembang also called the private sector to join hands with all concerned stakeholders in making the democratic process successful with holding the election of the Constituent Assembly on time. He also gave away various awards of the best district, municipal, and commodity chambers of the year 2006. Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd (SNPL) has bagged the coveted FNCCI National Excellence Aw-ard 2062. Madhav Harsh Dhar, MD, SNPL received the award.

Earlier, Chandi Raj Dhakal, FNCCI president, welcoming the participants said that private sector is yet to be fully convinced from the restoration of peace and get relief. “Ongoing political chaos, deteriorating law and order situation, lack of good governance and political will, have made the private sector more vulnerable,” he added.

Stating that the development budget of the current fiscal year has not been properly utilised, Dhakal suggested the next budget to be more incorporative in policies and programmes for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and reintegration. He also demanded that the government and other political forces to come up with a broad blue print on overall development of the private sector.

The apex body of the Nepali private sector has demanded atleast a common minimum programme on economic development. Dhakal also assured that the private sector would join hands with government in holding free and fair CA polls, with an anticipation that that will give economy a boost.