Kathmandu. A delegation led by President of NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal, Surendra Kumar Upreti, held a meeting with new Finance Minister of Madhesh Province, Yubaraj Bhattarai. The meeting was organized at the initiative of Minister Bhattarai to hold dialogue with the business community.

The NADA delegation led by President Surendra Kumar Upreti presented the automotive sector as an integral part of the provincial structure. The sector contributes more than 20 per cent of total government revenue and provides 100,000 direct and 10 lakh indirect jobs across the country.

At the meeting, NADA put forward three priorities: multi-year clarity on the registration fee and value-added tax structure, the formation of a joint task force to develop dealerships in secondary cities as electric vehicle charging hubs, and provincial support for service technical retraining for the electric vehicle transition.

“We are not asking for tax exemption, we are seeking clarity,” Uprety said. “A dealer with a two-year cost structure can invest in a rural service centre and hire a technician. But a dealer who is confused about next month’s tax liability cannot commit to a hike. In this connection, NADA proposed to establish a channel of regular dialogue with the Ministry of Finance.

At the end of the discussions, Finance Minister Bhattarai urged the NADA delegation to strengthen the investment environment in Madhes Province and increase the investment by the private sector.

Minister for Labour and Transport Sharada Devi Thapa and Revenue Officer Jaya Kumar Raut were also present on the occasion. Former President of NADA Karan Chaudhary, Special Advisor of NADA Rajan Babu Shrestha and General Secretary Milan Babu Malla were also present on the occasion.