After the Department of Commercial Supply and Consumer Protection started fining businessmen who do business without labeling the goods, industrialists have increased pressure to stop it.

They have started 'lobbying' not to implement MRP saying that the maximum selling price has spoiled the market and the fine has discouraged the businessmen. At the request of industrialists, MRP was also discussed in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply on Tuesday.

Industry Minister Damodar Bhandari chaired the discussion and the umbrella organizations of the private sector (Nepal Industry and Commerce Federation, Nepal Industry Confederation and Nepal Chamber of Commerce), Nepal Rashtra Bank, Customs Department, Agriculture Department, Internal Revenue Department, Commerce Department, Statistics Office, consumer rights workers and others participated in the discussion. At that time, the businessman said that the implementation of MRP was not possible immediately. They say that businessmen should not be fined on the pretext of not implementing MRP .

Businessmen argue that the implementation of MRP has worsened the market and increased prices. MRP does not benefit anyone, it cannot be imposed. Businessmen who do not apply MRP have been discouraged by fines,' said Kumar Dahal, Director General of Commerce Department, quoting businessmen's statement, 'Their only demand is that MRP implementation should not be made mandatory.' Director General Dahal says that ``labelling'' is being made mandatory in accordance with the spirit and spirit of the consumer's rights in Article 44 of the Constitution of Nepal and in accordance with subsection 3 of Section 6 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2075. In the

act, it is said that the producer must affix a mandatory label on the goods manufactured by him and the imported goods by the importer. It is mentioned that the label should be in Nepali and English language so that common people can understand it. The label must contain the name of the producer, importer, address, mixture of ingredients, quantity, weight, quality, production date, batch number, shelf life etc. When the regulatory body implements this rule, the businessmen have started a campaign to stop it .

'Commercial has implemented the legal provisions in the Constitution and the Consumer Protection Act . Instead of assisting in the implementation of the Act, it is wrong for businessmen to put pressure on stopping it . After making MRP mandatory and imposing fines on large commercial houses including sand, cement, and vehicles, industrialists are stuck," President of the National Consumer Forum, Premlal Maharjan said, "MRP on goods is a provision in the Act. Since 4/5 of the laws have made MRP clear, not implementing it is a crime against the consumer.'

During the monitoring, the department has fined between 2 lakh to 3 lakh rupees after the businessmen were found not to implement the MRP. Before imposing the fine, the department had given time to the businessmen by publishing notices several times. It was said that the businessmen who do the bidding will be fined . Now after starting the action, the businessmen have been 'lobbying' to stop the MRP.

Chairman of Consumer Rights Research Forum Madhav Timalsina also said that the rules clearly mentioned in the law should be implemented immediately . He says that the general public will not get justice due to the tendency to withdraw from the implementation of MRP when motivated by businessmen or some limited interest.

'Label is mandatory for a clean and competitive market . MRP is also included in that," he said, "MRP is in favor of businessmen and consumers who transact cleanly and transparently. It should be implemented rather than discussed. The Customs Department also tried to implement labeling in sub-section 4 of section 18 of the Economic Act, 2080. For this, the department has already issued a notification regarding labeling on June 22, 2080 by including it in the economic bill. But the businessmen did it . Lately, commerce has tried to strictly implement .

The market can be regulated through the MRP in the event that the government has removed the provision of profit and action placed in the black market and some other social crimes and punishments Act, 2032. There is also an opening for regulation. Therefore, Timalsina says that MRP should be implemented.

"According to the law, no businessperson can take more than 20 percent of the profit in general according to the goods and business practice". Taking more profit automatically attracts the black market act . And, for the offense of black market, the businessman can be imprisoned for 5 years or fined or both . But in order to benefit the businessmen, the government has removed this arrangement through an ordinance," said Timalsina, "but again, in the policies and programs of the next financial year, a loud slogan has been given to make the market clean, competitive and consumer-friendly by controlling the black market, syndicates, etc. This shows the double character of the government.'