Narayangarh, January 8:

Finance minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said private sector has to take lead in the development process.

Inaugurating the 41th annual general meeting (AGM) of Narayangarh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (NCCI) yesterday, he said, “Nepal has larger potentials of development of water resources, however, we have not been able to utilise it one per cent also,” he said “Delay in government’s decision on water resources has hit the consumers hard. As a result, the consumers’ are forced to face load shedding at present,” he said. On the deteriorating security situation in the country, he said, “The government will take a decision on industrial security force for the security of industrial sector.”

As the government could not spend any money for industrial security force, the private sector has to come for it, he said.

FNCCI chairman Chandi Raj Dhakal said that businessmen are being victimised by criminal groups due to failure of security agencies. “Government has failed to provide security to the business houses and businessmen.”

Former chairman Anandaraj Mulmi and first vice-chairman Diwakar Golchha of FNCCI, CDO Ratanraj Pandey and chairman of Birgunj Chambers of Commerce and Industries, also expressed their views.