Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that increasing both domestic and foreign investment into the country has been the government’s priority. 

Inaugurating the 2^nd Responsible Business Summit organised by National Business Initiative (NBI) in Kathmandu on Thursday, PM Deuba said the nation’s economy has become interesting along with politics. He added that increasing gross domestic products, creating additional employment and increasing investment are the priority for the government.

He said that the government has amended certain laws and some of laws are in the process of amendment in order to increase investment. “We are preparing to remove administrative and legal hassles for increasing investment. Those showing interest in investment will get all necessary support,” said PM Deuba.

He opined that the meaning of responsible business is to spend certain amount of profit for social programme and a major responsibility of a responsible businessman is also to abide by state’s rules and laws.

“I hope that the summit will take initiatives to determine whether we only want financial prosperity or a healthy, equal and sustainable economic system,” said PM Deuba.

The Prime Minister further said that the businessmen should also try to address the issues such as poverty alleviation, conflict management, ending financial inequality and environmental imbalance.  He underscored that the private sector should be made capable for the development of the nation.

“The current problems seen in private sector cannot be resolved overnight and the laws and regulations are not enough, but the businessmen should realise this fact and remain self-disciplined,” said Deuba, who is also the President of ruling Nepali Congress.

Saying that the immediate responsibility of the government is to increase the ownership of the new constitution and implement it successfully, PM Deuba said two phases of local level elections have already been held and the final phase would be conducted on September 18.

He further said that the government has been making necessary preparations for provincial and federal parliament elections and the election Constituency Delineation Commission has started its work for the same.

Hundreds of businessmen from Nepal, India, China and Singapore, among other countries, have been participating in the two-day programme.