Kathmandu, November 17:

Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat today called on all concerned to stop calling bandhs and embrace the “culture of productivity” for the prosperity of the nation.

The prevailing political violence has hit the national economy hard, he said, adding,

“Prosperity of a nation lies solely on economic prosperity. A country cannot be developed without right policy, political stability and knowledge-based industries,” he said.

Speaking at the inaugural function of Glocal Nepal, Mahat said the state should promote young entrepreneurs “because the future of the country is in their hands”. “We should not always leave the country’s future in the hands of politicians,” he said, adding, “The youth should break this tradition and lead the country to prosperity.”

He commended the works of the youths associated with Knowledge Synergy, who developed Glocal Nepal (GC), an online and offline encyclopaedia of Nepali business organisations. “Production alone is not enough. It is more important to make products and services easily available in the market for the consumers and Glocal Nepal has made it possible,” he said.

The GC provides complete business profiles of big and small organisations - contact details like telephone numbers, postal addresses, email addresses, URL, maps, business description and pictures. Its search engine allows people to access detailed information on products or services offered by shops and service centres within Nepal.

Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, Finance and Supplies Purushottam Ojha said the GN will be an online forum for all those who want to make investments and to those want to avail services from particular business firm or organisation.

Chandi Raj Dhakal, president of the FNCCI, said the GN will help Nepal gain access to global and regional organisations like the WTO, SAPTA and BIMSTEC. “It will surely help in the promotion of local products and services globally.” The FNCCI will support the Glocal Nepal through all means, Dhakal said.

President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) Surendrabir Malakar called for the formulation of cyber rules and bylaws and operation of the big-budgeted IT Park.

“While engines like Google make the world a global village, Glocal Nepal aims to globalise the local Nepali market,” said Anish Shrestha, chief executive director of Knowledge Synergy. He said that the synergy is planning to launch WAP version of the GN for mobile users to make it handy.