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June / July Nepal
With a view to strengthen the bilateral trade and other economic cooperation between Nepal and the People’s Republic of China the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FNCCI) entered into MoU with China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Beijing Sub-council on 21st June 2000.
Suraj Vaidya, Chairperson, Council for International Economic Coordination, FNCCI and Yao Wang, Chairman, CCPIT, Beijing Council signed on the MoU. Pradeep Kumar Shrestha and other office bearers of FNCCI were present on the occasion.
As per the MOU both parties shall keep constant and close contact, exchange information in regard to trade, technology transfer and economic cooperation, exchange each other’s publications & provide consultancy services within their respective business scope.
The MoU calls both parties to explore and exchange the opportunities of joint investments and trade, cooperate with each other on promotion of trade and investment. Similarly, as per the MoU they shall encourage and assist their members to cooperate with the counterparts in both countries for the promotion of joint ventures and trade between two countries.
Likewise, both parties shall organize and exchange visits of trade missions, and project study groups form the economic and trade circles and offer all the possible and relevant servises from their respective sides.
According to the MoU both parties agreed to promote trade and economic linkages between P.R. China and Nepal, particularly for the development of small and medium size enterprises and to cooperate in jointly organising workshops, seminars, exhibitions, conferences, technical seminars, and displays of the samples and literature of new products.
ILO/FNCCI-EC sign accord to eliminate child labour in Pokhara
The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and industry-Employers’ Council (FNCCI-EC) and the internatinal Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Kathmandu, signed an agreement on 5 July to implement the second phase of an Action Programme entitled “Towards child labour free area in Pokhara Sub-metropolis”. The ultimate aims of this Action Programme, being financially supported by AusAID Kathmandu, is to declare Pokhara a “child labour free area”.
Sensitization of the employers and the community on the legal provisions of the country which prohibit the employment of children below 14 years is important. As shown by the results of the first phase of the Action programme, the interception of an employers’ organization to carry out this activity has proved to be effective as shown by the results of the first phase of the Action Programme, also implemented by the FNCCI-EC. Besides that, direct intervention programmes for working children have made a good impact. To provide continuity to this activity, this second phase is being carried out.
As is evident, Pokhara Sub-metropolis is both the district as well as Zonal headquarters and a major contender of the Nepalese tourism sector and accommodates a large number of small enterprises, industries, hotels and eating establishments. Most of these small scale industries and establishments employ children belonging to the Sub-metropolis area and the surrounding rural Village Development Committees (VDCs). These children are engaged in rigorous tasks such as washing dishes, laundering clothes, lifting heavy loads in factories, working as helpers in public transport syndicates and in small eating establishments. The working conditions in these establishments are squalid, working hours range from 10-12 hours a day with meagre payment. They are seldom provided with an opportunity for education.
It is envisaged that mass awareness for the community, education for working children and revolving fund for adult women of child labour prone families will uplift the socio-economic level of the targeted area and help minimise the problem.
The agreement was signed, in the presence of Pradeep K. Shrestha, President, FNCCI, by Rajendra Kumar Khetan, Chairman of the FNCCI-EC and Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, Senior ILO Adviser of the ILO Kathmandu Office. Chairperson of the Environment Committee of FNCCI Mahendra Lal Pradhan, Badri P. Ojha, Secretary General and Megh Nath Neupane, Deputy Secretary General of FNCCI, Y. Amatya, National Programme Manager and Programme Officer, Gagan Rajbhandari of IPEC/ILO were also present on the occasion.
Earlier of the signing ceremony Tegmo-Reddy met with FNCCI President Shrestha and Chairman of FNCCI-Employers’ Council Khetan. Bilateral relation and future programmes bewtwen ILO/PEC and FNCCI was discussed on the meeting.
MoU Signed between NATA & CTATA
Nepal Association of Travel Agents (NATA) and China Tibet Association of Travel Agency (CTATA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 12 on Lhasa Kathmandu Sister Cities in Tourism.
Bhola Bikram Thapa President of NATA and Jigme Wangchuck. President of CTATA signed the Understanding on behalf of Nepalese and Tibetan sides respectively.
The signing of document is expected to put joint efforts of NATA and China Tibet Tourism Bureau (CTBT) to facilitate the tourists visiting Tibet via Nepal.
Hetauda Textile Factory resumes production
Hetauda Textile Factory resumed production recently after its closure for nine months due to a lack of funds for buying raw materials.
The government and the Nepal Industrial Development Corporation (NIDC) came to the rescue of the ailing factory, which needs 1200 Mt. of cotton every year as raw materials and provides employment to 1,200 employees.
After the government and NIDC provided a loan of Rs. 25 million to the factory, the technicians, workers and employees, who have not received their salary and allowances for the past four months, resumed work at the factory by taking only one month’s salary, the factory said.
The factory will be able to start production in full swing only after Dashain, it is said.
Shree Distillery (Pvt) Ltd. receives ISO 9002
Shree Distillery (Pvt) Ltd. has received international standard mark ISO 9002.
The Distillery has claimed that it is the first company to receive the international standard ISO 9002 in South Asia and first Nepalese distillery.
The factory, which had been making efforts for the past one and a half year to get the covetous standard mark, was approved by KPMG. Quality Register, Bombay India and American National Standard Institute, American Society for Quality eligible to receive ISO 9002 standard.
It was informed that on-site inspection right from the production to sales and distribution stages is made before recognizing a company with the standard.
The factory has been producing quality liquors for the past 15 years with the technical assistance of T & A MacClelland Limited and Morrison Bowmore Distillers of Scotland.
Grindlays Bank to start 24 hour services
Grindlays 24 hours Moneylink, full service Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), was inaugurated by Arun Nangia, Regional General Manager of Middle East and South Asia, ANZ Grindlays Bank Limited, at Nepal Grindlays Bank Limited’s branch at Grindlays Bhawan, Naya Baneshwor, Kathmandu.
The Grindlays 24 hour Moneylink’ ATMs will initially be installed in the Bank’s branches in Naya Baneshwor and Kantipath, as well as offsite at Pulchwork, Thamel and Lakeside, Pokhara according to a release.
“Grindlays 24 Hour Moneylink are full service on line real time ATMs. Qualifying accountholders will be issued Access cards, which will enable them to withdraw cash, make deposits and check their balances from any ATM 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” the release quotes Nangia as speaking on the occasion.
In addition to the facilities provided to our accountholders, the Grindlays 24 hour Money link will also enable tourists visiting the Kingdom from across the globe to withdraw cash advances in Nepali rupees against their Visa and MasterCard. This will further assist in increasing foreign exchange inflow into the Kingdom, the release says.
Grindlays 24 Hour Money link ATMs will provide services like cash withdrawal, cash and cheque deposit, fund transfer between accounts, mini statement cheque book and draft request.
Collaborative MoU between CAN & Chinca
The Federation of Contractors Associations of Nepal (CAN) and the China International Contractors Associations (CHINCA) of the People’s Republic of China have entered into a collaborative memorandum of understanding with different terms of references.
Both the organisations agreed to exchange all available construction project lists and related information to exchange market data with regard to their local construction economy to exchange publications offer advice and assistance to all members for the respective organizations with regard to export import information, local markets rules and procedures and promotion of joint venture opportunities between Chinese and Nepalese companies.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Sukunt Lal Hirachan, secretary general on behalf of CAN and Cheng Tongsheng, vice chairman and secretary general on behalf of CHINCA.
Surya Tobacco Co. signs MoU with KMC
The Surya Tobacco Co. (Pvt) Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) for the maintenance and conservation of Tribhuvan Memorial. The three traffic islands around the memorial were developed by FNCCI and is currently being maintained jointly by Nepal Tourism Board and Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
Surya Tobacco is interested in maintaining not only the memorial but also the other three traffic islands, it press release started.
Surya Tobacco Company (P) Ltd. is an Indo-UK Nepal joint venture and is the largest company in the private sector in Nepal. The company has shown keen interest in participating in KMC’s efforts to improve the environment of the capital city, the tobacco company said.
As per the MoU, Surya Tobacco will build a drainage system around the memorial; raise the floor level around the memorial to prevent water clogging and provide space for soil required to develop the garden, develop a garden with annuals, lawn and hedging and add focus lighting to enhance the memorial and garden.
The date KMC has worked with Nepal Tourism Board, FNCCI, Hotel Association of Nepal, Nepal Association of Travel Agents, Pacific Asia Travel Association, Tourism Guide Association of Nepal, Aqua Mineral Water, Castrol and the Rotary Club of Pashupati to develop and beautify traffic islands, around the city.
Gold Award for Excellence & Business Prestige to Udayapur Cement Industries
The International Selection Committee of B.I.D. Business Initiative Directions Madrid, Spain made up of a group of companies and prestigious professional has decided this year, during the 14th Quality Summit New York 2000, to present the “Quality Summit Gold Award for Excellence and Business Prestige to Udaypur Cemet Industries Limited, The awards presentation will take place in New York City U.S.A. during the International Convention “Quality Summit” on, July 15th.
