Prime Minister Balen Shah Pledges Support for Handicraft Business Development

Kathmandu. Prime Minister Balen Shah has stated that the government is committed to policies related to the handicraft business, art conservation, job creation, and handicraft generational transfer. Prime Minister Shah said this during a meeting with representatives of the Federation of Handicraft Entrepreneurs of Nepal on Wednesday. 

The Prime Minister is also positive about the officials' demand to form a Handicraft Development Board under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Furthermore, Prime Minister Shah assured that work would be done according to the officials' suggestion that making a mandatory invoice valuation instead of the current self-declaration for handicraft material exports would help increase revenue. 

During the discussion, the Prime Minister also assured that the five percent amount that should be received for exporting handicraft materials, which has been withheld for the past three years, would be resumed. 

Similarly, Prime Minister Shah has shown special interest in establishing a handicraft village in the valley and opening handicraft-related skill training centers in all seven provinces. During the meeting, the Prime Minister also appeared positive about reaching an agreement between the two parties for the construction of artistic structures in collaboration with construction entrepreneurs. 

In the meeting, the representatives of the Federation stated that they are ready to cooperate with the government for the development, expansion, and conservation of the handicraft business in Nepal. Prime Minister Shah had called the representatives of the Federation for a discussion at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers today. The representatives have stated that they are ready to cooperate with the government in any way. 

Federation Chairman Rabindra Shakya, Senior Vice-Chairman Rajman Bajracharya, Vice-Chairman Kiran Kumar Sthapit, Advisor Bikash Ratna Dhakwa, and top exporter Maheshwar Shrestha were present in the discussion.