Promotion of cooperatives is government’s priority: PM Oli

Kathmandu / March 31: Prime Minister KP Oli has said the government is committed to developing the cooperatives sector as a means of organising the marginalised and unorganised sector.

Addressing a seminar on network management for financial inclusiveness, organised by the Nepal Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperative Unions Ltd (NEFSCUN) here today, PM Oli said that since the cooperatives alone can help raise the financial status of such communities with self-confidence, the cooperatives sector should be expanded.

He said that as the government has prioritised the cooperatives sector, it has given the portfolio to a Deputy Prime Minister and not to an assistant minister or a state minister.

PM Oli underlined that the government has adopted the three-pillar economic policy comprising the private, public and the cooperatives sector for raising the economic status of the impoverished communities and for the economic progress of the country.

Nepal’s constitution is historic

The Prime Minister also declared that the constitution written by the Constituent Assembly and which ensures the rights and reflects the aspirations of the Nepali people, is historic and epochal.

“A majority of the population has expressed its liking for the provisions enshrined in the constitution, although there might be some grievances which are being addressed. Now, is the time to go for the implementation of the constitution,” he stressed. He added that the implementation of the constitution alone would address the demands being raised at present.

‘Do not humiliate Nepal’

Prime Minister Oli, who concluded official visit to the neighbouring countries India and China recently, reiterated that Nepal is a sovereign and independent country.

“Although Nepal might be smaller in terms of geography but we are able to take our own decisions on matters related to us,” he said, adding that nobody should humiliate Nepal dictating terms and asking Nepal to do this or that.

PM Oli vowed to work in favour of the people and the country’s development for the period he remains in office.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Poverty Alleviation, Chitra Bahadur KC said that a new Cooperatives Act is being brought to make the cooperatives more systematic and dignified. He assured that the new Act would not be draconian but it attempts to regulate the sector.

Chairman of NEFSCUN, Rishi Raj Ghimire called for bringing an effective Cooperatives Act.

National Cooperative Board chairman Keshav Badal stressed that the new Act should aim to promote the cooperatives sector.

Secretary at the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Shankar Adhikari pointed out the need of making the cooperatives institutions which, according to him, are working to strengthen grassroot democracy more organised and systematic.

Three hundred executive officers of the cooperative institutions affiliated to NEFSCUN are participating in the two-day seminar. Nine different working papers on how to adopt modern technology in cooperatives will be discussed in course of the seminar. RSS