Himalayan News Service

Hetauda, June 12:

Local industries need to boost their manufacturing strength to compete internationally after Nepal’s accession to the global trade body, World Trade Organisation (WTO), participants at a programme organised here recently said. They, at a workshop jointly organised by the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Makawanpur Chamber of Commerce on ‘Marcopolo technology’ — the most successful technology in European industrial countries, emphasised upgrading of the existing technology to manufacture exportable goods of international quality.

The participants also claimed that Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan could have never made it without the help of this technology. Rajendra Kumar Lalchan, president of Pokhara Chamber

of Commerce, pointed out the need to hand over the technology to textile, chemicals, timber, paper and ornament sector as well as to the machinery industries as soon as possible. Uttam Sharma Dhakal, president of Makawanpur Chamber of Commerce, opined that the industrial organisations need to adopt new technologies to make Makawanpur an industrial district.

Deepak Shrestha, first vice-president of Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and coordinator of Marcopolo project, said that the project would be beneficial for Makawanpur, Bara, Parsa and Narayangarh. Dinesh Chapagain on the occasion presented a paper on the technology. He said that development of hardware, software and manpower management is the must to compete in the changed global scenario. “Marcopolo technology could be a great help to improve quality,” he added. Modaraj Dotel, chief district officer and Udaya Shrestha, the first vice-president of Maka-wanpur Chamber of Commerce, also spoke on the occasion, where businessmen from Birgunj, Narayangarh, Birgunj, Kalaiya, Hetauda took part.