Kathmandu, January 23:

A five-day long international workshop was held with an objective of producing healthy and green production and to assist sustainable social and economic development.

Some 24 representatives from 18 countries, including Nepal, India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, and Thailand, took part in the seminar which was jointly organised the Asian Productivity organisation Japan and the National Productivity and Economic Development Centre (NPEDC) Nepal.

Inaugurating the seminar, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Buddhiman Tamang said that Nepal has given high priority for the development of agriculture and non-agriculture products in view of the world trade and economic liberalization.

Minister Tamang called on all the people to pay their attention on green productivity for environmental balance and for sustainable development.

The Small and Medium Enterprises play an important role for healthy production, he added.

Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Supplies, Bharat Bahadur Thapa said Nepal has adopted the concept of Environmental and Sustainable development since the sixth five year plan in 1980.

Shambhu Nath Pant of the organizing association said that they have been conducting various programmes such as policy planning, research, management and manpower generation to promote industry and industry related economic activities and to encourage the small and medium enterprises for green productivity.

The NPEDC has been playing the role of secretariat of the government’s National Productivity Council to emphasize qualitative production, to protect environment and to assist sustainable development programmes.