Lalitpur, January 11:

Public Private Partnership being the government’s chief agenda for economic development needs a Public Private Partnership umbrella Act, Purusottam Man Shrestha, PPP/UE Programme Coordinator, said speaking on the occasion of the 29th AGM of Lalitpur Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

“The formation of a PPP umbrella Act would support development of small and large projects and to establish an environment for investment by banking and other financial sectors in national and international PPP projects,” he said.

Shrestha said that there are many sectors in which PPP can be applied, such as solid waste management, urban sanitation works and watersupply and distribution, biogas, biomass, solar

energy, road and transportation services. “PPP is also possible in municipal market management, services related to sports, construction of community buildings, promotion and preservation of cultural heritage, management of tourist areas and the development of different entertainment spots,” he added.

Mentioning the various initiatives taken by LCCI under PPP, president Naresh Kumar Shrestha said, “LCCI along with Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City (LSMC) has conducted business development and local construction programmes according to the PPP concept.”

The UNDP and LMC are to set up 20-22 solar lights under this project to make Patan durbar area, a major tourist area, free of load-shedding.

With the aim to support the Nepal Tourism Year 2011, LCCI and LSMC will go for management and development of a tourist information centre and tourist apartments

according to the PPP model to support Nepal Tourism Year 2011, said Shrestha assuring of LCCI’s support in the construction of a road linking Lalitpur to the Tarai region.