Kathmandu May 13.

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta has expressed his commitment to have included in the coming budget ways of resolving the problem seen in the small, cottage and micro enterprises due to the COVID-19 pandemic of late. He said this in an interaction with a joint delegation of the Federation of Small and Cottage Industries and various commodity associations at the Ministry here on Tuesday.

On the occasion, the Industry Minister said the government would move ahead on the basis of the suggestions of the entrepreneurs with the realisation that small industries have been affected in the present situation. “These types of industries are hit due t the lockdown announced in view of the risk of coronavirus in the country.

I will take initiatives and make efforts to include ways of addressing the problems faced by these industries in the coming budget and we are holding discussions for relief package for these industries as well,” he said. Federation’s acting president Umesh Prasad Singh called for using the goods produced within the country instead of the imported goods.

He urged the government for the effective implementation of the guidelines for using domestic products by public bodies, for making arrangements for facilitation and monitoring its implementation and for increasing to 10 per cent the export subsidies the government has been providing for promotion of export trade.