Trade diversification with third countries is must to end dependency with India: FinMin Poudel

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Kathmandu: Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel Tuesday stressed the need of diversification of trade and economic relations between neighbouring and other third countries keeping the national interest in centre.

Stating that the country has been facing the present crisis caused by the huge dependency of trade with India, Minister Poudel said that the country should expand trade with other third countries and make self-reliant in possible products by learning from the current unofficial blockade imposed by India.

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 "We are suffering this crisis due to blockade imposed by India without any concrete reason. Being a landlocked country, it is right of Nepal to trade in independent manner," he said while addressing 18th establishment Day of Society of Economic Journalists Nepal (SEJON) and SEJON Award distribution programme in the capital.  

The ongoing strike in Terai and unofficial blockade imposed by India after the promulgation of new constitution created multiple effects in all sector, he said and added that it is necessary to resolve the problems through the dialogue at the earliest possible.

"We, the government, are looking to resolve the problem through the dialogue. There is nothing impossible to resolve the problem through dialogue as the 10-year long conflict also resolved through the dialogue," Minister Poudel claimed.

Stating that the present crisis is likely to push the society towards the corrupt stage as the people are involving for the informal activities, he said that it is necessary to control the informal activities to save the society from being corrupt.

There is no alternative of development and prosperous Nepal, he said and asked all to move ahead together for the same. Minister Poudel on the occassion released SEJON's souvenir Arthaniti (Economic  Policy).

Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal said that economic activities in the country have almost stopped due to the unofficial blockade and ongoing strike in Terai.

 He said that the country's economy will be further deteriorating if the present crisis prolonged.

The size of under-economic activities has been growing day by day due to the blockade, he said and added that it is the challenge for the government to control the inflation in single digit and achieve positive economic growth.

Governor Nepal stressed the need for infrastructure development in southern and northern sides for trade expansion with China.

President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Pashupati Murarka asked the government and the political parties to resolve the problem at the earliest possible citing that the almost all sector have been parasailed from the crisis.

"The condition of industries is very poor. And the industries have reached to the stage of closure," he said.

 

Stating that the government and the agitating parties were going to sit in dialogue table on Wednesday, he hoped that the talk will be fruitful to pave the country for the development from this crisis.

Founder president of SEJON Pratik Pradhan asked the agitating parties to come in table by postponing their strike if they have organsied protest in their own demand.

He blamed that the present and past leaderships have not raised the problems of blockade which is not good.

President of SEJON Gokarna Awasthi and journalist Saroj Kafle asked the political parties and the government to resolve the problems at the earliest possible citing that the multiple effect has seen in  every sector due to the blockade and strike.

Krishna Acharya of Kantipur Daily and Navaraj Chalise of News24 television were awarded by SEJON award during the programme.

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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