On 17th January 2021, Bikalpa an Alternative conducted the first Leader’s Circle meet at Hotel Ratna. The objective of organizing such meetings is to deliberate discussions between stakeholders on public policy issues and agendas of economic growth by forming a closed informal circle comprising decision-makers, private sector leaders, and civil society members to find solutions to the current problems of Province no.1.
Altogether, 20 leaders, including the Mayor of Biratnagar, Vice-Chairman of the Planning Commission, Parliamentarian, Public Administrators, Business Leaders, and Civil Society Members, attended the session. The program was facilitated by Dr. Sandesh Das Shrestha. The program began with a presentation by Mr. Deependra Chaulagain, Director of Operations and Outreach at Samriddhi Foundation, which shed light on the motive behind the Leader’s Circle’s commencement. He emphasized that Nepal Leader’s Circle is a non-partisan closed forum that focuses on Nepal’s economic and development agendas and how emulating the concept in Biratnagar would advance policy discourse in the province and make policymaking participatory.
The presentation was followed up with another presentation on the current economic priorities and policies by Dr. Bhesh Prasad Dhamala. He remarked that priorities for the development of the province should be focused on assembling infrastructures for the health sector, providing stimulus in the form of incentive packages to industrial sectors, reconstructing the sectors devastated by the lockdown implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic, and reviving the tourism sector.
The floor was then opened for experience sharing and recommendation. The attendees discussed the need to identify each sector’s issues and a rigorous analysis of the province’s strengths. The agriculture sector was given priority throughout the discussion. Likewise, issues related to tourism, industries, and education were also highlighted during the session. Most stakeholders stressed a dire need for the program to raise a strong collective voice without political biases that advocated for development and policy reforms for the province’s holistic upliftment. They also highlight that the discussion should be focused on the thematic area to bring the issue to the conclusion.
The floor was then handed over to the provincial planning commission’s vice-chairman, Mr. Subodh Raj Pyakurel. He mentioned that technology, entrepreneurship, holistic approach, information & knowledge, and the development culture were the drivers of development. At the end of the session, the Mayor of Biratnagar, Mr. Bhim Parajuli opined that the upcoming meetings of the leader’s circle should focus on the issues-wise discussion for a more streamlined and fruitful outcome.
Attendees of the program:
- Subodh Raj Pyakurel: Vice-chairman, Province Planning Commission,
- Bhim Parajuli: Mayor, Biratnagar Metropolitan City
- Jay Ram Yadav: Central Member, Samajbadi Party, Nepal,Provincial Assembly Member of Nepal. Province no 1.
- Sandesh Dass Shrestha: Executive Director, B.FM
- Bhes Prasad Dhamala: Chairman, NERUDE
- Mahesh Regmi: Central Member, Nepal Communist Party
- Abhinash Bohora: Central Member, FNCCI
- Suyesh Raj Pyakurel: Senior Vice President Chamber of Industries
- Dr Rajendra Upreti: Division Chief, Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture & Cooperative
- Saroj Koirala: CEO, Province Investment Authority
- Sujan Thapa: President, Birat Byapar Sangh
- Arjun Kumar Baral: Associate Professor, Tribhuwan University
- Som Nath Adhikari: Director, Arihant Agri-farm and Research Center
- Rajan Shrestha: President Regional Hotel Association Nepal
- Roshan Thapa: Managing Director, SASTHM college
- Bishwonath Rijal: President, Elite Club
- Srijan Pyakuarel: President, NYEF Biratnagar
- Shrawan Kumar Agarwal: Member, FNCCI Province no 1.
- Abhinayak Malla: Managing Director, Malla Group of Companies
- Deependra Chamlagain: Director, Samriddhi Foundation
- Basanta Adhikari: Director, Bikalpa an Alterative
- Suman Rai: Program Coordinator, Bikalpa an Alterative
- Shristika Neupane: Research Associate, Bikalpa an Alterative
