Kathmandu, August 28
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has banned its subordinate offices from using foreign-made khada.
Tourism Secretary Prem Kumar Rai said in a directive that huge sum of money flies out of the country with the import of khada, which also causes environmental pollution.
The ministry imposed the ban as per the directive of Secretary at the ministry Prem Kumar Rai, who pointed that a huge sum of money (crores of rupees) flies out of the country with the import of khada, which also causes environmental pollution.
It directed 40 subordinate bodies, including departments, academies, authorities and corporations, not to use foreign-made khada while receiving and felicitating people, among others.
If organisers of such programmes have to use khada, they should use khada made of dhaka, cotton or paper made in Nepal, the ministry told subordinates.
Ghana Shyam Sharma, joint secretary at the ministry, said they welcomed new Tourism Minister on Friday by using khada made of Nepali dhaka.
We have received reports that subordinate offices are complying with this directive, Sharma said, adding that the idea was to reduce trade deficit and promote Nepali products.
The ministry has also told domestic khada producers to promote Nepal by printing images and relevant texts about Nepal’s touristic attractions.
Earlier, a secretary-level meeting had discussed the possibility of banning the use of foreign khada while receiving guests and prohibiting the import of such khada. But the meeting had stopped short of taking a decision.
The government, though, has not taken any decision on the import and ban on the use of foreign khada.
