Infrastructure dominates discussion at 'Invest mid-Nepal'
CHANDNI HAMAL
CHITWAN, Jan 11: Experts and businessmen gathered in Chitwan to explore business opportunities have stressed on the need to increase investment in infrastructure for the development of central Nepal.
The participants at a seminar on Invest mid-Nepal, held on the sidelines of Chitwan Festival, on Thursday presented their views and plans on how central Nepal could be made prosperous.
The seminar has brought together experts, potential investors and local businesspeople in a bid to chart out strategies to boost economic activities in central part of the country.
“Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track is significant for the development of central Nepal, including Chitwan,” said Bijaya Subedi, coordinator of a committee on 20-year Chitwan Development Strategy Plan (CDSP).
The seminar also focused on strategies to develop farm sector in the region.
The CDSP has proposed different projects including development of highways to connect India and China to get maximum benefit from rapidly developing Asian giants. “The proposed Thori-Rasuwagadi road section should be linked with Chitwan in order to enhance trade of the country´s central part with other parts,” Subedi said.
He also outlined different potentials in Chitwan, such as developing river bank as a tourist destination, transforming Chitwan into well-managed town and connecting the district with other major towns of the country through high speed transportation system.
Om Raj Bhandari, urban development planning expert, presented his paper on how Chitwan can be well managed through housing management. The seminar has identified a total of 15 significant projects to be developed in the central part of the country.
“The development of projects should be linked with local people, who will be major beneficiaries of development works,” said Suraj Vaidya, president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).
Former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey, Vice-chairman of National Planning Commission, Dipendra Bahadur Kshetry, and diplomats representing different countries held discussions on the viability of around three dozen projects for the region.
“We are looking for investment from domestic as well as foreign investors in areas such as infrastructure, hydropower, tourism, health and agriculture, among others. The government´s policy is significant to lure international investors,” said Pandey.
He underlined the need to end political crisis at the earliest to pave the way for boosting investment and accelerating economic as well as development activities.
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Infrastructure Dominates Discussion At 'Invest Mid-Nepal'
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