Chandra Prasad Dhakal Urges Private Sector Unity to Influence Powerful New Government

Kathmandu. Chandra Prasad Dhakal, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), stated that the private sector needs to unite to establish its demands and agenda with the forming powerful two-thirds majority government.

President Dhakal made these remarks while addressing the program organized by the Anjan Shrestha group to announce the candidacy for office bearers and executive members for the upcoming 60th Annual General Meeting and election of the Federation.

He emphasized that leadership should be chosen based on consensus rather than through an election within the Federation. He mentioned that former presidents have also expressed concern that elections might divide the Federation.

President Dhakal said, “A government with nearly a two-thirds majority is about to be formed in the country. At such a time, if the private sector does not unite and speaks with different voices, the government will not listen to us. For the existence and effectiveness of the Federation, we have no alternative but to be one.”

He urged the candidates to set aside ego, come to an understanding, and select a leadership by consensus, warning that election results sometimes bring unpleasant divisions.

Recalling his three-year tenure, President Dhakal stated that they succeeded in stopping the bill that would have brought the private sector under the purview of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

“If the private sector had been brought under the CIAA's jurisdiction, we would have been stuck in paperwork and procedures rather than working,” he said. “This was a fight for the existence of the entire private sector; we succeeded in removing that provision after continuous dialogue and lobbying.”

Furthermore, he claimed that based on the recommendations of the High-Level Economic Reform Commission formed on the initiative of the Federation, about 30 old and obstructive laws, such as the Black Marketing Act which hung like a sword over businessmen's heads, have been reformed, and several others are in the process of amendment.

Dhakal stated that to challenge the negative narrative that large projects cannot be built with domestic capital, the 'Nepal Development Public Limited' worth 10 billion rupees was established, incorporating investors from all 77 districts. He added that this company has the capacity to operate large projects worth 40 to 50 billion rupees and has instilled new confidence in the private sector.

Similarly, discussing the amendment of the Federation's bylaws as a major achievement of his tenure, he said that this has strengthened the role of District and Municipal Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

President Dhakal stressed the need for honest adherence to past agreements. He called upon all industrialists and businesspersons to elect a leadership that can present a unified message to lobby the government with a single, strong voice.