The President of Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chandra Prasad Dhakal has requested the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to improve the budget for the financial year 2082/083 and the arrangements related to the private sector that have been implemented recently.

In the meeting held on Saturday, President Dhakal expressed his gratitude for the inclusion of the arrangements being raised by the federation in the budget for the year 082/83 and asked for the necessary facilitation as some provisions of the budget and recently implemented policy arrangements have affected the enterprise business.  During the

meeting, Prime Minister Oli said that his government is trying to create a business environment that is friendly to the private sector and has taken the suggestions of the Federation positively. Dhakal, the president of the federation, met Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel on Sunday and drew attention to the suggestions of the federation in the budget for the year 082/83.

President Dhakal's suggestions submitted to the Prime Minister include value added tax imposed on air tickets and diamond jewellery, IA facility being given to hydropower, Euro 5 and 6 regulations applied to vehicles, fairs, MRP, import and export of botanical products. 

Dhakal asked for removal of extended luxury tax and value added tax on gold and silver. President Dhakal drew attention to the fact that Nepal has become an expensive tourist destination due to the already levied value-added tax on tickets and 2 percent luxury tax on five-star hotels and resorts. This arrangement has had a double effect as the practice of buying tickets from other countries has increased.

The federation has also requested for arrangements to bring the goods that have been ordered under the old standard (Euro-3) as the recently implemented Euro-5 and 6 standards by the Ministry of Forestry and Environment have hindered the import of vehicles and spare parts. As the agreement for 10,000 megawatt electricity export in India has already been reached and the electricity export has also started in Bangladesh, the exemption provided in this area will help in the qualitative improvement of the overall infrastructure sector, so it is requested to extend the current tax exemption until 2092 for the construction of electricity projects.

Demanding clarity in the power purchase agreement, the federation also says that the 'take and pay' policy of the Run of River project has caused confusion in the investment, and it is necessary to clarify the revised arrangement made by the government.

 More than 130 district city trade associations affiliated to the federation have been organizing local fairs for the past 2 decades and supporting the marketing of local products and identity as well as economic activities. Recently, there has been a growing trend of conducting fairs on contract basis from some local levels, so they have also demanded for initiatives to continue the arrangement that only trade associations can organize fairs.