The Bethanchok Rural Municipality of Kavre is going to provide concessional loans to those who have returned from foreign employment to start businesses and enterprises in the country. The municipality is going to provide concessional loans to those who have returned from foreign employment to connect them to entrepreneurship.

During discussions with those who have returned from foreign employment, they have demanded concessional loans from the municipality to develop agricultural businesses and enterprises. Ram Prasad Timalsina of Ward No. 3 of Bethanchok Rural Municipality of Kavre, who returned after working in Malaysia for four years, said that the government should provide concessional loans to create an environment for working in the country. According to him, if the knowledge and skills acquired abroad can be utilized, a lot of development can be done at the local level. ‘If we could provide concessional loans to those who have returned from foreign employment to do business in our country, we could earn a lot of income here,’ he said. ‘There is a lot of potential for agriculture and animal husbandry in this place. If the local government were to link it to some program for agriculture and animal husbandry, economic progress could be achieved.’

Similarly, Mahima BK of Ward No. 3 returned to Nepal after working hard in Dubai for five years. After returning to Nepal, she thought of doing some business, but she said that she could not do business due to lack of sufficient credit. During the discussion, she said that the program run by the municipality to understand the situation of those who have returned from foreign employment and connect them to business was very effective. ‘The only thing we can do here is agriculture and animal husbandry,’ she said. ‘If we could run this commercially, we would earn a good income. For this, it would be very easy if the local government here provided us with concessional loans.’

Rabindra Timilsina of Bethanchok Rural Municipality Ward No. 2 said that he has decided to start agriculture and animal husbandry here if the local government provides some amount on a concessional basis. He has been working in security after returning from Malaysia for 11 years and said that some programs and budget should be arranged to connect those who have returned from foreign employment to enterprises and businesses.

During the discussion, after those who have returned from foreign employment demanded that loans be provided on a concessional basis to run enterprises and businesses, the rural municipality has made arrangements to provide loans up to a maximum of Rs 2 million at an interest rate of 4 percent, said Bhagwan Adhikari, the chairman of Bethanchok Rural Municipality. According to him, arrangements will be made for the rural municipality to bear 5 percent of the interest on the loan and the beneficiaries to pay only 4 percent interest. ‘A modern agricultural program has been implemented within the rural municipality at a concessional interest rate for the residents of Bethanchok,’ he said, ‘We will include them in the same program, and if they bring new plans and programs, the program will be studied and implemented.’

He said that the youth who have returned from foreign employment have the skills, experience, energy and capacity they have acquired abroad and it is necessary to utilize them in the productive sector. He said that the rural municipality is trying to involve them in various agricultural, enterprise and self-employment-oriented programs. ‘Participate in the program and run a modern agricultural firm,’ he said, ‘If there is a need for more new programs, the rural municipality will provide necessary support in that too.’