Kathmandu, September 23:

Despite the country having adopted economic liberalisation policies after the restoration of democracy in 1990s in a bid to spread its benefits to poor people, these policies have not made any impact on essential commodities of daily use, opined a consultant working for Economic Policy Network (EPN), a joint project of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the ministry of finance (MoF).

Rajendra Bahadur Shrestha, a consultant who works for EPN, said that liberalisation had no impact on our essential commodities as most of the essential goods such as sugar, salt, rice and pulses, edible oils and medicines are produced and supplied by private institutions. Only petroleum products’ management has been maintained by Nepal Oil Corporation. But even there, private distributors are involved in the chain at the local level, said Shrestha stressing on reform in public enterprises such as NOC, Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) and National Trading Ltd (NTL).

Shrestha was presenting a paper on ‘Supply management of essential commodities’ today at a gathering of over 25 participants from various sectors. He mentioned various problems faced by consumers such as weak implementation of consumer projection acts and regulations, black marketeers, lack of organised marketing, lack of specialised cooperatives and fair price shops for distribution of essential goods. Along with various problems, he also put forth some suggestions such as immediate announcement of long-term supply policy and national supply coordination committee to facilitate the government on the supply management, involving the private sector.

Similarly, a study done by Rabindra Adhikari, on ‘building confidence in tourism through crisis management’ for EPN, which was commissioned by Nepal Association for Tour Operators (NATO), was also discussed. Most tourism entrepreneurs present at the policy paper discussion agreed to form a crisis management cell to resolve tourism related problems.

Adhikari pointed out the need to initiate economic and tourism diplomacy by establishing a crisis management cell, an idea which found wide approval from participants.