Former Chamber of Commerce President Urges Political Parties to Draft Feasible Economic Agendas in Manifestos

Kathmandu. Former President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Rajendra Mall, has stated that political parties should only include programs in their manifestos that are implementable and align with the country's capacity. He made these remarks on Sunday while addressing the 'Economic Agenda in Party Manifestos' program organized by the Economic Journalists Association of Nepal (NAFJ).

He said, "There is a lot of work to be done in our country, so we must move forward with short and practical goals. I feel that party leaders should prepare manifestos by looking at the real needs. As the saying goes, one should only swallow what one can chew; they should bring forth achievable programs. The manifesto should not just look good on paper; it must be such that the people at the grassroots level can directly benefit. If a people-friendly manifesto is introduced, the country will certainly move forward."

He noted that negative political agendas often surface in party competition, and requested that all parties unite to form a common vision regarding economic agendas. He stated, "Currently, our country's economic situation is moving in a somewhat negative direction. Current expenditure has reached nearly 80 percent, while development expenditure is limited to only 20 percent. Excessive daily administrative costs have led to reduced investment in productive sectors. Therefore, manifestos must include a clear plan to reduce unnecessary current expenditure and increase productive activities."

Highlighting the large-scale migration of youth abroad, he suggested that a 'part-time job' system should be introduced to integrate youth into national production, and this should be included in the manifesto.

He said, "The situation where youth aged 20-25 go abroad due to lack of opportunities must end. In developed countries, job opportunities are available from early in the morning; this is a policy to connect the youth force to production. A similar environment must be created in our country as well."

He pointed out that the agricultural sector has still not received adequate priority. "Although we are an agrarian country, food grain imports are increasing, which is a very negative signal," he said. "Increased agricultural production directly improves GDP. Currently, a large amount of arable land lies fallow. To stop this, a policy must be introduced in collaboration with local governments and ward levels to ensure no land remains uncultivated. Production systems should be adopted according to the soil type in each location."

He emphasized that the issue of 'not leaving land fallow' must be included in the manifesto as a national plan. According to him, the Information Technology (IT) sector holds great potential.

He pointed out that while India is earning billions of dollars, Nepal is limited to a few billion rupees. He said, "IT education must be extended not only to cities but also to remote villages. The 'learn while you earn' model should be promoted so that youth have opportunities to work while studying."

He stated that the forest and medicinal herbs sector has also not been utilized properly, noting the fact that despite having ample resources, Nepal is importing from countries like Malaysia. He said, "Medicinal herbs must be developed commercially and made export-oriented. Serious discussion is also needed on the regulation, processing, and promotion of certain crops, including cannabis, as its international demand is high."

He attributed the growing despair in the country primarily to weak government service delivery. According to him, the tendency for work not being done on time and delays has increased public dissatisfaction. He said, "The next government must compulsorily implement a 'time-bound action plan.' A system of accountability must be established to explain why any work was delayed."

He stated that the country has lagged because services are not received on time, and development is impossible without reforming this."