PM Deuba vows to address citizenship issues of NRNs

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has assured to address the issue of citizenship that the Non-Resident Nepalis Association (NRNA) is raising for a long time. Inaugurating a seminar organised by the NRNA in Kathmandu on Thursday on ‘Citizenship, Voting Right, Investment and Foreign Employment’, PM Deuba vowed to finalise the issue of citizenship by holding discussions with all stakeholders. “I want to reassure you to address this issue after coordination with all sides,” the PM stated adding that the government was sensitive to the demands raised by the NRNA. The prime minister also said the government will facilitate the NRNs for their easy travel to Nepal and protection of their investment and property. Appealing to the Nepali diaspora across the world to discharge their responsibility toward the motherland, PM Deuba urged the NRNs to put their capital, knowledge and skills earned abroad into the development of Nepal. Likewise, Deuba highlighted that exports of Nepali products will be promoted if NRNs use Nepali goods in foreign countries. PM Deuba urged NRNs to bring in foreign capital to Nepal by coordinating and co-working with Nepal’s diplomatic missions abroad. The ceiling of the minimum amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nepal is reduced to Rs 20 million from the upcoming fiscal year from Rs 50 million in the previous fiscal year, and approval of FDI up to Rs 100 million will be done through an automated system, the PM said. Furthermore, the PM added that Nepali migrant workers have been brought under the ambit of social security in the Social Security Fund (SSF). On the occasion, the PM lauded the roles of NRNs played in the rescue and relief of victims in the time of Gorkha Earthquake as well as in the time of Covid 19 through the delivery of medical supplies. [caption id="attachment_25119" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka addresses a seminar organised by Non-Resident Nepalis Association (NRNA) on ‘Citizenship, Voting Right, Investment and Foreign Employment’ in Kathmandu on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Photo: RSS[/caption] Speaking at the event, Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka shared that the government was working to establish Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to encourage the investments of NRNs. Minister Khadka asked the NRNs to invest in Nepal’s hydropower, agriculture, tourism, communication, education and healthcare sectors, and also to reap benefits from the investment. Executive Chairman of NRNA, Kul Acharya, Chairman Badri KC, Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bharatraj Paudyal, Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Nilima Dhungana Timsina, Senior Vice President of FNCCI Chandra Prasad Dhakal and others expressed their opinions on different issues of NRNs, diaspora community, their investment and related areas. READ ALSO:

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