The Investment Board Nepal has started work on operating a single point service center to facilitate investment growth by attracting more national and international investors through faster service delivery.

The Investment Board has designated Joint Secretary Hemraj Tamang to coordinate the Single Point Service Center. Fourteen government agencies have designated focal persons with authority to coordinate with the Single Point Service Center.

The Single Point Service Center will include the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal Rastra Bank, Department of Immigration, Department of Inland Revenue, Department of Industries, Department of Mines and Geology, Department of Customs, Department of Labor and Occupational Safety, Department of Electricity Development, Office of the Registrar of Companies, and Nepal Telecommunications Authority. Other agencies designated by the Board may also designate focal persons.

The Board's office has prepared a draft working procedure for the Single Point Service Center in coordination with the concerned ministries, departments and agencies. The board will immediately coordinate with the focal persons of the relevant ministries/agencies and move forward with the work.

Investment Board Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyawali said that since the board's office was set on fire during the Gen-G movement, services will be provided from one place once the management and working procedures of the new office are finalized. He said that the use of technology is important as the work will be done through automation.

In a discussion with the focal persons, Chief Executive Officer Gyawali requested them to take ownership and move forward with the work to achieve the national investment-related goals and maintain good governance. 'The Investment Board works in coordination with everyone. The support and cooperation of all agencies are expected in this,' he said.

Expert Ramkrishna Sapkota said that it would be difficult for investors to have to provide services from multiple agencies, and said that the implementation of a single point of contact service center could streamline investor-related tasks. For now, the focal person will be the single point of contact for the relevant ministry/agency. They will facilitate the execution of tasks related to their respective agencies recommended by the Investment Board's office.