Kathmandu. Bagmati Province Chief Minister Kiran Thapa Magar and President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Anjan Shrestha held a meeting at the FNCCI Secretariat in Teku today.

In the meeting held at the FNCCI Secretariat, Teku on Sunday, the FNCCI discussed the issues related to the damage caused by floods and landslides in Rasuwa and other districts, restoration of the industries and businesses, conducive environment for investment, employment generation and revitalization of economic activities in the province.

During the discussions, both sides pledged to move ahead in a result-oriented way by identifying concrete areas of cooperation by further strengthening mutual coordination for economic development, expansion of private sector investment and entrepreneurship promotion in the province.

On the occasion, FNCCI President Anjan Shrestha said the FNCCI was active in relief, rescue and rehabilitation immediately after disaster and was ready to collaborate with the state government to create an environment conducive for the resumption of the industries and enterprises.

He said that the federation is positive to expand investment and entrepreneurship in Bagmati Province by making the collaboration with the state government more effective. “The federation is trying to work on the establishment of new markets, hospitals and school reconstruction at the local level. Similarly, the federation is ready to help those who want to get involved in business by providing training on the basis of need by establishing a disaster employment bank,” he said.

Saying the support from the private sector in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of disaster-affected areas was commendable, Chief Minister Thapa said collaboration with the Federation was necessary for education, employment generation and revitalization of local economy of the disaster-affected children.

He also proposed to work in the public-private partnership (PPP) model for the development of roads and other infrastructure in Bagmati Province. “Bagmati Province wants to move forward by taking the private sector as an important partner in the economic development of the province. We should go for the PPP model for infrastructure development. The provincial government is committed to solving the policy and practical problems of the private sector and facilitating it,” the Chief Minister said.

Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of the province, Saral Sahayatri Poudel, said that a program could be launched in collaboration with the Federation by establishing a ‘disaster labor bank’ to connect the people who have become homeless due to the disaster but are willing to work with employment. He also said that the support of the federation is necessary to connect the products produced in the local and district with the market.

FNCCI President Shrestha said that the FNCCI could collaborate to establish a disaster employment bank targeting the people affected by the disaster and in need of employment, to conduct skill-oriented training as per the need and to develop new market in the affected local areas.

On the occasion, FNCCI senior vice-president Sur Krishna Baidya said that the FNCCI was ready to coordinate with the province government by identifying the problems and possibilities seen at the local level through the representatives of the Bagmati Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the private sector.

FNCCI treasurer Manish Lal Pradhan, Bagmati province president Bed Bahadur Shrestha and FNCCI central member and president of the Social Service and Disaster and Devi Disaster Committee Raj Kumar Karki, among others said that the situation at Tatopani border point was not good and only the Korala border point would create problems for trade with China.