Rural Enterprises and Remittances Project (RERP) Corridor Office Bardibas, Mahottari district launched the project start-up program on 15th October, 2017 jointly with Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) Okhaldhunga at OCCI hall. Altogether, 60 participants from different line agencies including newly elected members from the local bodies actively participated the program.
The formal program was chaired by OCCI chairperson Mr. Gyanendra Kumar Maske. Mr. Mohan Kumar Shrestha– the mayor of Siddhicharan Municipality Okhaldhunga was the chief guest and Mr. Janakraj Pant, Chief District Officer (CDO) the special guest for program.
Mayor Mr. Shrestha inaugurated the workshop by reading the content of banner for workshop. During the program, Mr. Moti Giri, Corridor Coordinator-RERP Janakpur Corridor delivered welcome remarks to all invitees and briefed the objectives of the workshop. He emphasized on objectives, implementing arrangement and rationality of the new project funded by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) that is being implemented by Government of Nepal, Ministry of Industry.
Mr. Rakesh Kumar Jha, Business Development Specialist for RERP made PowerPoint presentation on the scope and implementation modalities of the project including key processes, tools and strategies of the project.
Queries from the floor were raised by participants regarding the implementing arrangements, target group, selection process, project area, migrants/returnees identification and their participation in the project, regarding financial services for the beneficiaries, business development service approach, project period, audit mechanism and such. These questions from the floor were clarified by RERP team members.
During the guest remark session, Ms. Tika Bhujel, Secretary of NGO federation had expressed her views on the positive aspect of enterprise and employment focused project. She also committed to join hands together with the project whenever needed.
Mr. Suman Acharya, Manager of Rastriya Banijya Bank Okhadhunga branch articulated that he is ready to support RERP as per their financial service norms. He also expressed about necessity to expand business and export local product to external market for sustainability of the business.
Likewise, Mr. Rudra Prasad Adhikari, Chief of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality and Ms. Santa Dhungel, Vice Chairperson of Likhu Rural Municipality urged to select market potential rural cluster on the basis of need assessment. Municipalities personnel committed that the local body would like to coordinate and contribute with the project for creation of employment and expansion of prevailing business that results reducing the trends of seasonal migration to gulf countries.
RER Project Manager- Mr. Saroj Prasad Guragain in the final session of the program expressed his views that- “RERP anticipates achieving the project target with the help of valuable suggestions and feedback from all stakeholder and line agencies”. Special guest Mr. Janakraj Pant, CDO urged project personnel have to be aware on the implementation arrangement because project is already delayed for two years out of seven year period.
Chief Guest of the workshop Mayor Mr. Shrestha made a note on the need of positive thoughts towards enterprises promotion and productive investment to be linked with the heated national discussion on income earnings from remittances in the current day Nepal. He emphasized the relevancy of important project in addressing the problem of youth employment at local and national level too.
At the end CCI chairperson Mr. Gyanendra Kumar Maskey, expressed vote of thanks to all invitees and committed to make project a success.