KATHMANDU, JULY 25

Nepal National Traders' Federation has urged Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to ensure vaccines immediately to industrialists and traders in a bid to make the country's economy dynamic.

A team led by Federation Chair Naresh Katuwal met with PM Deuba at his official residence in Baluwatar this morning and apprised him of the country's economy battered by COVID-19. "Providing safety to the industrialists is imperative to restore the dwindling economy, he added.

The team asked PM Deuba to fully write off the interest for traders and industrialists during the lockdown period and create atmosphere to provide loan to industries at subsidised rate without mortgage.

Federation Vice-chair and former Chair of Koteshwor Trade Association, Saroj Thapa suggested that the government form a coordination committee in a bid to enhance cooperation between the government and private sector.

Similarly, other areas of concern featured during the meeting were easy refinancing, 50 per cent discount on interest rate for the upcoming two years and introduction of a mandatory policy for the banks and financial institutions to invest 50 per cent in the productive sectors.

The team congratulated PM Deuba and also stressed the need to ensure economic activities via electronic medium.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 26 2021, of The Himalayan Times.