July 9: Transport entrepreneurs have submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli requesting him to address their concerns related to the impact of COVID-19 on their business.

The entrepreneurs affiliated to the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs on Thursday (July 8) submitted their seven-point demand by visiting the Office of the Prime Minister in Singha Durbar.  

The transport entrepreneurs informed the prime minister that their investment of around Rs 1000 billion is at risk due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns imposed by the government. The delegation of transport entrepreneurs said that almost 900,000 people directly or indirectly involved in this business facing extreme hardship due to the measures taken by the government to control coronavirus.

The entrepreneurs complained that their demands have not been addressed although they have made repeated requests to the concerned government bodies.

The entrepreneurs have asked the government to immediately ensure vaccine against COVID-19 to the workers involved in transportation service.    
Similarly, their other demands include hike in public transportation fare in the context that they have incurred huge amount of losses as the fare has not been reviewed for almost nine years.    
Similarly, they have asked policy changes in financing including additional loan, refinance and subsidy in interest rate through the monetary policy by considering the lockdown period as a zero hour.