Surath Giri's Blog

Aug 27, 2010

चुरोट आधरभूत आवश्यक्ता हो... ए होईन! हो हो!! होईन होईन!!

August 27, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

क्युबामा सरकारले सहुलियतमा दिदै आएको चुरोटको सेवा बन्द गरेको समाचार सुन्दा मेरो हासोको सीमा रहेन । कुनै देशका सरकार(जस्तै नेपाल्) जनतालाई चुरोट हनिकारक हुन्छ भन्ने कुरा थाहा हुँदैन तेही भएर कानून बनाएर चुरोट खानबाट रोक्नुपर्छ भन्ने सोच्छन्, कुनै देशका सरकार भने चुरोट आधरभूत आवश्यकता हो भन्दै सहुलीयतमा जनतालाई चुरोट उपलब्ध गराउछन । यो सरकार भन्ने जन्तु चै साह्रै रमाइलो हुदो रहेछ चाहे त्यो जहाँकै किन नहोस । अझ अधिनयकबादी देशका सरकारहरु को त कुरै छोडिदिउ । प्रहसन हेरे जत्तिकै रमाइलो ।

ईन्टरनेट जस्तो कुरा चै २१ औ शताब्दीको रोग रे , चुरोट चै आधरभूत आवश्यक्ता रे । अहिले आएर खर्च ले धान्न नसके पछी चै चुरोट आधरभूत आवश्यक्ता होईन रे । हैन , के कुरा आधारभूत आवश्यक्ता हो, के कुरा आधारभूत अवश्यक्ता होईन भन्ने कुरा तोक्ने नैतिक अधिकार सरकारमा छ ?

How to be kind and generous-our government's way?

August 27, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

If not anything else, our state run public enterprises have always provided us with enough reasons to be ashamed of them. From Nepal Telecommunications Corporation of the past which used to take just about a decade to provide a single telephone line, to Nepal Airlines Corporation, which came up with a brilliant idea of looting us in broad daylight by buying airplanes in higher than the competitive prices, our public enterprises have been very competitive in committing acts of pure corruption and causing public embarrassment. Not only the above mentioned entities but entities like Nepal Electricity Authority who has brilliantly designed and implemented the service of load-shedding and Salt Trading Corporation which dreams of selling products in prices higher than market prices despite receiving government subsidies – they all deserve equal accolade when talking about shamelessness. However, Nepal Oil Corporation with its recent staff bonus scandal proved itself to be very serious on being the forerunner of shameless acts.

Though general public and CIAA failed to appreciate, when NOC’s managing director Digambar Jha decided to be generous by providing bonus to his dear employees, he was trying pretty hard to impart the thought typical to Nepal’s policy practices, “always be kind and generous but at someone else’s expense.” You may find it surprising but the events that have led to this state of NOC were purely based on this principle itself. Didn’t get it? Well, one fine day in the past, the government thought that the general public couldn’t pay for the expensive petroleum products and Nepalese people didn’t know at all about the search for alternatives if something got expensive or alter the amount of consumption to adjust to the increased prices. So the government decided to be generous and provide us with subsidies. Despite our general belief, it’s a fact that there’s nothing such as free lunch in the world. So who is to cover the losses?? Of course, the government! Who is to finance the government? Of course, the general public! And to our surprise, we realized that the cost of financing the losses of NOC were even greater than the amount of expense we would have to pay for the petroleum products had they been allowed to be priced in the market prices. Hence, Nepal government made an example of its kindness at our expense; it’s as simple as that.

Curious? You have treasures of examples to explore in this regard. Just look at any of the public enterprises our government has created with this very noble intention. The major reasons for which our state has spent billions and continues spending millions in various public enterprises ranging from match factory to tannery is that it wants to provide us (people with political connections at least) with jobs and also wants us to provide us with goods and services so that they don’t cost us an arm and a leg. The state has spent about 123.85 billion in various public enterprises which generate a return of about 1.8 percent in aggregate .You may wonder that is too low as compared to private sector which would have at least generated something in two digits but remember the government is not supposed to make profits! Out of the 123.85 billion, the assets have depreciated to about 81.92 billion, 33 percent less than the original value. The loan has accumulated to 83 billion and unfunded contingencies are about 21.31 billion. And a total of 37,000 people are being employed by these enterprises. So, calculating the amount, more than 60,000 rupees is being spent per person (not including the salaries, benefits, pensions etc.) to provide employment. And of course, the recent trends of generosity, “bonus” hasn’t been included in these figures yet. Who pays for all of these costs you may ask? Of course, Nepalese citizens should be proud to be supporting such noble causes. Residents of Jajarkot are paying for it forgoing their medicines that could have saved their lives from diarrhea; people in Jumla are paying for it forgoing the infrastructures in their places. That’s the way it works; “be kind and generous but at someone else’s expenses”.

स्वतन्त्र बजार र कार्टेलिङ :कती ठिक , कती बेठिक ?

August 13, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

सारा नेपाली जनता मुल्यबृद्धीको पासोमा निस्सासीरहेको अवस्थामा ब्यापारिक सँगठनहरुले खुल्लम खुल्ला उपभोक्ता बस्तुको मुल्य तोकेर जनतालाई सास्ती दिरहेको र अझ आफुले तोकेको मुल्य लागु गर्न आबद्ध ब्यबसायीहरुलाई धम्की समेत दिरहेको देख्दा देख्दै सरकार मौन बस्नु उदेक लाग्दो कुरा हो । र यसबाट सरकार जनताको हितलाई लिएर कत्तीको चिन्तित छ भन्ने कुरा प्रस्ट रुपमा झल्कन्छ ।

आपसी सहमतीमा मुल्य निर्धारण गर्नु आफैमा स्वतन्त्र बजारको भावना बिपरीत नभए पनि बल्जफ्ती मुल्य असुल्नका लागी कर गराउनु र कुनै पनि सँगठनमा आबद्ध नभै ब्यापार गर्न नपाउने अवस्था सृजना गर्नु भने स्वतन्त्र बजारको मर्म बिपरीत मात्र नभै गैर्-कनूनी अपराधिक कृयाकलाप पनि हो । यस्ता अपराधिक कृयाकलापले गर्दा जनताले तेस्तो दुख पाइराख्दा पनि समबन्धित निकायहरु के हेरेर बसी रहेकाछन ?

स्वतन्त्र बजार र कार्टेलिङ

स्वतन्त्र बजारको अवधारणा अन्तर्गत मुल्य निर्धारण आफैमा अनैतिक होईन । आफ्नो सामान बिना बल प्रयोग आफुले चाहेको मुल्यमा बेच्न पाउनु ब्यक्तिको नैसर्गिक अधिकार हो । र स्वतन्त्र बजारको एउटा प्रमुख मुल्य-मान्यता नै के हो भने कुनै पनि ब्यक्तिलाई उस्को सामान उस्ले चाहेको भन्दा अरु मुल्यमा बेच्न बल प्रयोग गरी बाध्य गराउन पाइदैन । मेरो कलम म १० रुपैयाँमा बेच्न चाहन्छु भने मलाई उक्त कलम ८ रुपैयाँमा बेच्न बाध्य गराउनु अनैतिक काम हो ।

र कहिले काही स्वतन्त्र बजारमा कारटेल देखिन्छन पनि तर स्वतन्त्र बजारको सुन्दरता नै के हो भने यदी निजी ब्यक्ती वा सरकारले बल प्रयोग नगर्ने हो भने स्वतन्त्र बजारमा आएका कारटेलहरु स्वत हराएर जान्छन । किनकी एउटा स्वतन्त्र बजारमा कारटेल्ले मुल्य बृद्धी गरेर नाफा कमाएको थाहा पाउना साथ अन्य कुनै ब्यक्तिले कम मुल्यमा उक्त बस्तु वा सेवा प्रदान गरेर प्रतिस्पर्धामा उतृन सक्छ । जसले गर्दा कारटेलको औचित्य रहदैन ।

तर जब यस्ता कारटेल हरुले बल प्रयोग गरेर मुल्य निर्धारन गर्न थाल्छन अनि बजारमा नया ब्यक्ती वा ब्यापार लाई प्रबेश गर्नबाट रोक लगाउछन तब त्यो स्वतन्त्र बजारको मुल्य-मान्यता बिपरित हुन जान्छ । यस्तो काम अनैतिक मात्र नभएर अपराधिक पनि हो ।

हाम्रो परिरेक्ष्यमा

नेपालको परिप्रेक्ष्यमा भने कारटेल हरु पूर्ण रुपमा गैर्-कानूनी रुपमा सन्चालन भैरेहेका छन । उनिहरु आफुले भनेको मुल्य निर्धारन नगरेमा बल प्रयोग गर्ने मात्र होईन बजारमा नया सेवा प्रदायकले पर्बेश गर्न खोजेमा हिन्सा प्रयोग गर्न पनि पछिपरेका छैनन । जस्तै उदहरणका लागी नाई संघलाई नै लिऊ । कुनै न कुनै नाई संघमा दर्ता नभै नाईले आफ्नो ब्यापार सन्चालन गर्न सक्ने अवस्था छैन ।

अर्को उदाहरण यातायातको क्षेत्रमा देख्न सकिन्छ । कुख्यात अरानीको बस ब्याबसयी संघले अन्य सेवा प्रदायकले उक्त राज्मार्गमा आफ्नो सेवा सुरु गर्न खोज्दा हिन्सा प्रयोग गरेको हामीले धेरै चोटी सुनेका छौ । अर्को उदाहरण पश्चिम भेगका बिकट जिल्लाहरुमा खाध्यानन लादा समेत कारटेल्लिङले गर्दा मुल्य बढी भएर जनताले समस्या पाएको त हामीले सुनी नै राखेका छौ । यस्तो अवस्थामा पनि सरकार केहि नगरि बस्नु निरासाजनक कुरा हो ।

जनतालाई धुम्रपान गर्दा हानी हुन्छ भन्ने कुरा थाहा नै छैन जस्तो गरी "चुरोट का बट्टाहरुको ७५% भागमा बैधानिक प्राबधान राख्नु पर्ने" जस्तो ठट्टाजनक कानून बनाएर बस्नुको साटो कारटेल्लिङको प्रकोप बाट जनतालाई बचाउन तर्फ लगे सरकार , सरकार जस्तो हुन्थ्यो कि ?

Youth and the last fragment of freedom

August 10, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

(published in The Himalayan Times of 17th August 2010)

“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

While the International Youth Day is on the air once again, young people all over the place are eager and excited about the various programs they have on the day. However, every year as I see my contemporaries, especially during the first half of August, I am reminded of the above mentioned quote again and again.

I believe, being alive at this point of time at this place in the earth is a challenging job. With the globalization, the world is turning into a small village and we happen to be the major stakeholders of the upcoming future. However, no matter how brightly we think about the world or our future, it’s a bitter truth that we have our feet placed on the levels from which the world has risen quite above already. An average citizen of the world earns $10366 every year whereas an average Nepali citizen earns just about $1200 every year, which if not shocking is surprising and shameful for sure. An average Nepali youth, who dreams of changing the world sooner or later, finds the so called changing of the world his means of earning rather than a passion which it once was.

I find Nepalese youth truly remarkable for the way they have played a pivotal role in the fight for freedom. No matter what others would like to think, it was the youth who played the most important part in dragging down the tyranny of the King in the second people’ movement in 2006 and the fact is that it has always been the same from the first democracy movement that overthrew Rana rule to the people’s uprising in 1990 . However, youth have always been sidelined from the mainstream politics, denied from any decision making power whatsoever. As a result, change and innovation is rarely seen not only in our politics but in almost every aspect of our lives. Policies that have been defunct since long are still guiding our lives at the cost of prosperity and progress.

The most detrimental effects of bad policies are seen in the economic aspect of our lives. Isolationist policies that prevent free trade and free movement of labor are still in force. Policies essential for economic development like rule of law, property rights, contract enforcement laws are nowhere to be seen. Corruption is rampant making Nepal one of the most corrupt countries in the world (surprise for us who take such a pride in our culture). Government is creating and nurturing monopolies like Nepal Oil Corporation which is a drain on our economy, Nepal Electricity Authority who is turning our nights into nightmares, transportation cartels that provide services of the middle ages and charge luxury rates. Registering a business is tougher than committing a crime, extortion is the most lucrative business. Youth who seek better future through hard work in foreign lands are despised and discouraged instead of being supported. The concept of state is a nanny who is supposed to spoon feed us rather than make an environment for us to stand on our own with our talents and intelligence. But the worst thing about all of this is, our youth have been led to hold in high esteem the same policies and are skeptic of any changes. The hostility that new ideas, especially those in economic spheres, face from youth is quite surprising and depressing indeed.

Our ignorance and reluctance to change is manifested in our day to day lives. Try the thought by asking yourself these questions. How many times have you thought of restricting imports or consuming our local products (even if they are inferior in quality or higher in price) is a good idea? How many of you think one of the primary responsibilities of the government is to provide jobs? How many of you think foreign investment shouldn’t be allowed in our country? How many of you think profits made by businesses are made at your cost? How many of you think foreign employment should be discouraged or our youth shouldn’t be allowed to go abroad for work?

If you answered affirmative in most of these questions, you certainly follow the current mindset. If we were to just rise above the political propaganda and misleading mainstream economic thoughts, we will realize the aspects of our economy that are in serious need to be fixed. Upholding the same policies and trend of thinking is never going to raise us above this quagmire of poverty. Getting out of the corrupt mindset is the first step that we need to take towards the path of prosperity. We played an important role in accomplishing political and individual freedom and no one but us can bring economic freedom and hence prosperity to our country. And it’s already time for us to fight for our last remaining freedom- economic freedom.

Our politicians may find the status quo to be beneficial for them but we have observed the world progress and can never be content with it. We are youth. In other words, we dare to dream and we dare to act!

नेपाल आयल निगमको अत्याचार; कहिलेसम्म ?

July 21, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

अरबौ रुपैया घाटामा भएको भनिएको आयल निगमले आफ्ना कर्मचारीलाई २० करोड बोनस बाड्न लागेको समाचार सुन्दा भित्तामा गएर टाउको ठोक्न मन लाग्यो । निर्लाज्ज्पन, अनुत्तर्दायित्वको पनि एउटा सीमा हुन्छ । के सरकारी सन्स्थान तेस्माथी नेपालको भयो भन्दैमा निर्लाज्ज्पनको पराकास्ठानै नाघ्ने हो त ? तरपनी निगमको यस व्यवहाँर माथि धेरै छलफल गरीराख्नु पर्ने आवश्यक्ता देख्दिन । कारण : सरकारी हो, राम्रो र नैतिक अझ भनउ उत्तरदायी व्यबहारको अपेक्ष्या गर्नु नै मुर्खता हो र अर्को कुरा कुनै एउटा घटनालाई लिएर तेस्को नितीगत कारण माथि बिस्लेशन नगरेर प्रतिकृयात्मक आलोचना मात्र गर्न हाम्रा सन्चार माध्यमहरु प्रशस्त र खप्पिस छन्, हाम्रो आवश्यक्ता परी राख्दैन ।

मेरो लागि यहाँ प्रमूख प्रश्न हो: "के नेपाल आयल निगमको औचित्य छ ? आयल निगम भएर हाम्रो अर्थतन्त्रलाई फाइदा भै राखेको छ कि घाटा ? आयल निगम हाम्रो आवश्यक्ता हो कि बोझ हो ? "

हुनत हामीलाई सिकाइदै आइराखिएको छ कि खानाखानु अघी हात धुनुपर्छ भन्ने कुरा सिकाउने देखी लिएर खान दिने काम र पछी गएर सौचालय बनाइदिने काम समेत सरकारले गर्दिनुपर्छ किनकी नेपाली जनता असक्षम्, अशिक्षित र असाहाय छन । यस अवस्थामा पेट्रोल , मट्टितेल जस्तो कुरा त सरकारले नल्याइदिने कुरै भएन । तर एकचोटी सोची हेरौ त, के निजी क्षेत्रले पेट्रोल , मट्टितेल आपुर्ती गर्न सक्दैन र ? तपाईंले अवस्यनै भन्नु भयो होला : आफ्नो स्वार्थले प्रेरित निजी क्षेत्रले ल्याको पेट्रोल किनी साद्धे हुन्छ त ? गरीब ले के गर्छन ? के गरीब चै मरून ?

यहाँ बुझ्नुपर्ने कुरा: निगमले सस्तोमा पेट्रोल वा मट्टितेल दिन्छु भन्दैमा भारतले हामिलाई वा भारतलाई खाडी मुलुकले सित्तैमा वा सस्तोमा यि वस्तुहरु दिने होईनन । आयल निगमले परेको मुल्य तिर्नै परिहाल्छ । निगमले बेहोर्ने घाटा आखिरमा अरु कोही आएर तिर्ने होईन सरकारले नै तिर्ने हो अर्को शब्दमा भन्नु पर्दा हामी आफैले तिर्नु पर्ने हो । आखिर हामी हाम्रै पैसा जाने हो भने किन हामी आफै प्रत्यक्ष रुपम नतिर्ने ? किन भ्रस्त नेता र निगमको भरमा परी राख्ने ? हामी आफैले अन्तरअस्ट्रीय मुल्यदर मा पेट्रोल किन्दा जती बढी हाम्रो पैसा खर्च हुने थियो, अप्रतक्ष्य रुपमा निगमबाट खर्च गर्दा त्यो भन्द धेरै नै बढी खर्च हुन्छ । किन ? सारा कर्मचारीको तलब्, भ्रस्टाचार,चोरी निकाशीबाट हुने नोक्सानि, अनियमितता आदी इत्यादिले गर्दा आयल निगमले बेहोर्ने घाटा घटाएर बेचेकोको मुल्य मात्र हुँदैन त्यो भन्दा बढी हुन्छ । बास्तवमा भन्ने हो भने आयल निगमले गर्दा हामीले सस्तोमा होईन झन महँगोमा पेट्रोल पाइराखेका छौ । भलै प्रतक्ष्य खर्च कम होला तर सम्पूर्ण खर्च हेर्ने हो भने झन बढी खर्छ भई राखेको छ ।

अब तपाईंको प्रश्न आउला, तर जे भएपनी गरीबले त सस्तोमा पेट्रोल पाइराखेका छन नि । सरकारले आयल निगम गरीबकै हीत सोचेर राखेको हो । कम मुल्यमा बेचेको पनि गरीबकै लागी सोचेर राखेको हो ।

पहिलो प्रश्नको जवाफ , के साच्चै गरीबले सस्तोमा अझ भनउ मट्टितेलनै त पाइरखेका छन त ? ५-१० रुपैयाँ सस्तो मट्टितेलका लागि दिनभरी लाईन बस्ने फुर्सद कस्लाई हुन्छ, गरीबलाई कि धनीलाई ? गरीबले ५-१० रुपैयाँ बदी तिरेर झत्तै मट्टितेल पाउनु ठीक कि धिनभर्को कमाउने अवसर गुमाएर लाईन बस्नु ठीक ?

जिन्दगीमा कहिल्यै गाडी चाडन नपाएका दुर्गम भेगका जनताले बिकाशका लागि भनेर तिरेको कर पेट्रोल सस्तोमा उपलब्ध गराउनका लागी खर्च गर्नु के गरीबको हीतका लागी काम गर्नु हो ? के ति गरीब जनताले हामिले गाडिमा हिड्न सस्तो होस भनेर कर तिरेका हुन ?

पेट्रोलमा हुने मुल्यबृद्धीको बिरोध गर्नेमा प्राय: बिद्याअर्थी सँगठनहरु हुने गर्दछन तर सबैलाई बिदितै भएको कुरा हो कुनै राज्नैतिक उदेश्य भएको बेलामा एस्को बिरोध हुन्छ , कुनै निजिइ उदेश्य छैन भने बिरोध हुँदैन । उदहरणका लागि अन्तिम पटक भएको मुल्य बृद्धी को बेलामा कसैले बिरोध गरेन । किन ?

यि सबै कुराहरुलाई एक छिन पन्छाएर नितान्त अर्थशास्त्रको नजार्ले हेर्ने हो भने पनि निगमले हामिलाई धेरै घाटा पुर्याइरहेको हामी पाउछौ । अर्थशार्त्र को एउटा तथ्य के हो भने कुनै कुरा को भाउ बढ्यो भने मानिस हरुले उक्त बस्तुको प्रयोग कम गर्छन र तेस्को बैलक्पिक बस्तुको खोजी गर्छन ।यदी पेट्रोल को मुल्य अत्यन्त बध्यो भने हामी एस्को प्रयोग कम गर्न थाल्छौ वा एस्को बिकल्प खोज्न थाल्छौ जुन यो भन्द बढी उपायोगी र सस्तो होस । तर कृतिम रुपमा पेट्रोलमा अनुदान दिनाले हामी पेट्रोलमै निर्भर हुन बाध्य हुन्छउ जुन हाम्रो जस्तो आयातमा निर्भर देश्को लागी राम्रो कुरा होईन ।

तसर्थ बुद्धी पुर्याएर सोच्ने हो भने निगमको यस कार्य माथीमात्र होईन निगमकै अस्तित्व माथी हामीले प्रश्न गर्ने बेला भाई सकेको छ ? घाटा भएको बेलामा बोनस बाड्न खोज्नु त एउटाा उधहरन मात्र हो । एस्ता अनियमितता धेरै छन । कुरा यती मात्र हो "हामी कती दिन सम्म अत्याचार सहेर बस्न तयार छौ ?"

धैर्यताका साथ पढ्दिनु भएकोमा धन्यवाद । कृपया आफ्नो प्रतिकृया दिनु होला । साथै तपाईं को बिचारमा निगम को बिकल्प केहि हुन सक्छ कि सल्लाह दिनु होला!धन्यवाद !

Bleak picture of Nepalese Economy -Economic Freedom Matters!

July 05, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

Read a news article about Nepalese economy going down the drain in THT. Though the economic growth had been projected to be about 5.5 percent, the Economic Survey has revealed that it's not going to be any more than a measly 3.5 percent. It's frustrating to know that avarice and hunger for power of some people has taken its toll on the future of entire population of the country. Political instability is the primary cause of this fiasco. We can safely say, our government has done its best to keep us impoverished.

Inflation control is one of the most important thing any governments of the countries like ours can do to help the economy and ease the economic hardships of its people. However, in our country the inflation stands at above 10 percent!!

Since the last three years, successive governments have failed to present a full-fledged budget on time due to political instability that has also brought down Nepal’s economic freedom ranking.

Well, at least it's somewhat comforting to know that more people are at least getting aware of the thing called "Economic Freedom"!

CNI's demands to the government : An economic analysis!

June 30, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

Just read about some of the d emands made by Confederation of Nepalese Industries to the government in view of the upcoming budget. Here is my analysis of the demands:

Curtail the corporate tax to 20 percent from the existing 25 percent for the production, trading and financial sectors.

Reducing taxes is a very good idea. As a general citizen of this country, you are very likely to have been led to believe that increasing taxes on business and industries is a good idea...an idea that benefits the society at large. In fact it's just the opposite. Higher taxes discourage businesses from expanding or scaling up, makes them incompetent due to higher costs, makes goods and services produced by them costlier and transfers resources from the efficient hands to the government which happens to be the unproductive sector of the economy. When businesses are prevented from scaling up , many employment opportunities as well as the wealth creation opportunities that could have been created are lost.

You may argue , "well, higher taxes mean more income to the government and more benefits to the society" but it's the opposite again. Let's see an example:

For every 100 rupee our government earns as revenue about 60 rupees is spent on administration which means 60 rupees is spent on either paying for the government employees who are in charge of collecting the same money or maintaining the government offices and procedures for the same purpose. Among the remaining 40 rupees, a portion of it is lost in corruption. Only the remaining small portion reaches our hands in form of some benefits. So basically we are paying 100 rupees to get the services of worth less than 40 rupees.

If we leave the tax money with the business , then ? Well, in this case, the business is very likely to either distribute the money to its shareholders as dividends or reinvest it to expand business. In either case, general public benefits. If business is expanded more job opportunities are created and more Nepalese can get employment.

My only question is why not demand an overall decrease in tax rate rather than for some sectors only?

Increase the limit on which income tax is imposed to Rs. 250,000 for an individual and Rs. 300,000 for a family.

Good idea! Reasons: same as above!

Remove the dividend tax to encourage domestic and foreign direct investment.

Good idea! For a country as poor as Nepal, foreign direct investment is the only way of raising huge amount of capital needed for economic growth. At the same time, it will also encourage domestic investments which are very crucial for our economy.

Removal of value added tax imposed on the dairy industry, multiple VAT rate and involving the private sector in installing high power transmission lines.

Good idea!

Removal of export services duty and also a softening of the penalty for exporters to 10 percent from the existing 25 percent of the value of the exportable goods.

Good idea! Nepal is in serious need of exports. It would be a great help to the exports and a step towards free trader.

...a difference of 10 percent on the customs duty to be imposed on imported goods and raw materials for Nepali industry to protect domestic industry.

Very very bad idea! Free trade not protectionism is the way to prosperity. Majority of the world has finally learned this truth easy way or the hard way. Imposing higher import duties prevents us from enjoying cheaper and quality goods and services from abroad and forces us to patronize the inefficient domestic industries. Why should we be forced to pay more for the local industries efficiency? Such protectionist policies benefit the domestic industries at the cost of consumers. Simple put, such policies make domestic producers richer and the consumers poorer. Such ideas are harmful to the economy of a country! But it's not a big surprise to see such fallacious demands from organizations such as CNI as it's in their vested interest to promote such policies no matter how harmful they are for general public!