Prosperity Podcast

केहि समय देखी पत्रपत्रिकाको पानादेखी घरको भान्सा सम्म मूल्यवृद्धिको बरेमा लमो बहस भईरहेको छ । तर मूल्यवृद्धि/ मुद्रास्फीति भनेको के हो त ? अहिलेको scenario मा नेपालमा किन मूल्यवृद्धि/ मुद्रास्फीति भईरहेको छ ? केन्द्रीय बैंकका अनुसार मुद्रास्फीति ८.५६ प्रतिशत पुगेको छ तर यसको अर्थ के हो ? र यसले  हाम्रो अर्थतन्त्रमा र आम नागरिकको जीवनमा अल्पकालिन र दिर्घकालिन  कस्तो असर पार्छ ? यी सबै प्रश्नहरू को उत्तर लीन र मुद्रास्फीतिलाई बुझ्नको लागि हामीले यस एपिसोड मा नेपालको केन्द्रीय बैंकका उपनिर्देशक अर्थशास्त्री सिद्धराज भट्टलाई निम्त्याएका छौं ।

सिद्धराज भट्ट एक अर्थशास्त्री हुन् उनी अहिले नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकको आर्थिक अनुसन्धान विभागका उपनिर्देशकको रुपमा कार्यरत हुनुहुन्छ।  साथै उहाँले University of London   र Tribhuvan University बाट अर्थशास्त्रको अध्ययन गर्नु भएको छ साथै उहाँले Harvard University र Boston University बाट पनि economics को अध्ययन गर्नु भएको छ ।  

उहाँ र उहाँको कामका बारेमा थप जानकारीक लगी तल दिएका linkहरु visit गर्नुहोस् ⬇️

As markets reopen and the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic wanes, people are excited to go back to their normal ways of life. We are excited to finally live a life free of the fear of the virus. We can sense the same excitement in the vibrancy in the physical markets. Over the past two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the behaviour of Nepali consumers. What does such change mean for Nepali businesses, especially ecommerce? We spoke to Roshee Lamichhane in this episode of Prosperity Podcast.

नेपालको आर्थिक विकासका लागि उपयुक्त ढाँचा कुन हो ? पुँजीवादी प्रणाली वा समाजवादी प्रणाली - हाम्रो लागि कुन ठिक ? यी विषयमा हुने छलफलमा यी विचारधाराहरूको उपयुक्तासँगसँगै मौलिकता माथि पनि प्रश्नहरू राख्ने गरिन्छ ? यस‍ै सन्दर्भमा लेखक मुराहरी पराजुलीले वैदिक साहित्यमा बजार अर्थशास्त्रसँग मेल खाने सोचहरू छन् की भनेर शोध गर्नुभएको छ । वैदिक ग्रन्थहरूले बजार, सम्पत्ति अधिकार, मुल्य, व्यापार, ऋण लेनदेन र व्याजदर जस्ता अर्थशास्त्र आधारभूत अवधारणाहरूबारे के भन्छ? आजको एपिसोडमा मुराहरी पराजुलीसँगको हाम्रो कुराकानी सुन्नुहोला ।

Prosperity Podcast को आजको एपिसोडमा हामी हालसालै भएको पेट्रोलियम पदार्थको मुल्यवृद्धिको विषयमा कुराकानी गर्दैछौँ । 

र यस पडकास्टमा हामी आर्थिक स्वतन्त्रता र सार्वजनिक नीतिका विषयवस्तुहरूमा कुराकानी गर्छौं । समसामयिक विकासका मुद्दाहरूबारे विभिन्न विज्ञहरूसँग कुराकानी गर्छौं र यिनै  मुद्दाहरूलाई फरक धारबाट बुझ्ने र जान्ने प्रयास गर्छौं।

पेट्रोलको  मुल्यवृद्धिबारे कुराकानी लागि हामीसँग हुनुहुन्छ कुल प्रसाद पाण्डे। के पी सर आर्थिक तथा वित्तिय नीतिका विज्ञ हुनुहुन्छ।  उहाँले कर, बजेट, मौद्रिक नीति र राजस्वसँग सम्बन्धित अरू विषयवस्तुहरुको अध्ययन गर्नुभएको छ । र उहाँले त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालयमा अध्यापन गर्नुहुन्छ ।

In this Global Entrepreneurship Week 2021 (GEW) special episode, we speak to Aayusha Shrestha, founder and designer of AAMO. AAMO is a conceptual accessories brand that prioritizes on understanding, documenting and preserving traditional skill sets of metal crafters. Launched in 2016, AAMO works closely with home based artisans, who continue to practice traditional skills, which has been passed down generationally. and has become a beloved brand for artisanal and handmade accessories.

On November 14,  we wrapped up this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week. Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest celebration of entrepreneurs, innovators, job creators and startup champions. In celebration of GEW2021, we spoke to three Nepali entrepreneurs on the trials and tribulations of being an entrepreneur in Nepal. In our previous episodes, we spoke to Biswas Dhakal, the president and chairperson of F1Soft and Amun Thapa is the CEO of Sastodeal. Please check those episodes.

We had asked our audience on social media to send any question they have for our guests. We would like to thank everyone who sent us the questions.

In this Global Entrepreneurship Week 2021 (GEW) special episode, Amun Thapa gives us an insight into Nepali ecommerce industry and where it is headed. The founder and CEO of Sastodeal, his company is one of the pioneers in Nepali ecommerce. He is also a co-founder of a string of other homegrown brands, including Anthropose and Khalisisi. He currently serves as the president of Confederation of Nepalese Industries Young Entrepreneurs Forum (CNIYEF). And, if you are on LinkedIn, his weekly ‘5 Things SD’ is a delightful read.

This year’s #GEW2021 will be celebrated from November 8 to 14. GEW is the world’s largest celebration of entrepreneurs, innovators, job creators and startup champions. In celebration of GEW, we are speaking to three Nepali entrepreneurs who have pushed the limits of entrepreneurship in Nepal. In our previous episode, we spoke to Biswas Dhakal, the President and Chairperson of F1Soft. In our next episode, we will speak to Aayusha Shrestha, the cofounder and designer at AAMO.

We had asked our audience on social media to send any question they have for our guests. So, a massive thank you to everyone who sent us the questions.

नेपाली information technology को क्षेत्रमा F1Soft लाई एउटा अग्रणी कम्पनी मानिन्छ । सन् २००४ मा स्थापना भएदेखि नै F1Soft ले विभिन्न प्रकारका डिजिटल products र सेवाहरू मार्फत नेपालीहरूको जीवन सहज र सरल बनाउन लागी परेको छ । F1Soft अन्तर्गतकै सन् २००६ मा सुरू भएको eSewa मोबाइलबाट पैसा पठाउने, पाउने सेवाको पर्यायवाची जस्तै नै भएको छ । Financial technology मा  हासिल गरेको सफलता पश्चात हाल F1Soft ले अन्य क्षत्रहरूमा पनि आफ्नो उपस्थिति बढाउँदै लगेको छ । आजको एपिसोडमा हामी F1Soft का अध्यक्ष र Chairperson विश्वास ढकालसँग कुराकानी गर्दैँ छौँ ।

यस एपिसोड Global Entrepreneurship Week २०२१ को उपलक्ष्यमा प्रस्तुत गरिएको हो । यस वर्षको Global Entrepreneurship Week २०२१ November 8 तारिख देखि November १४ सम्म मनाउदैँ छौँ । विश्वभरका उद्यमीहरू, लगानीकर्ताहरू, नवप्रवर्तकहरू, जो आफ्नो समाजमा भएका अनेकौँ  समस्याहरूको समाधान खोज्न तल्लीन छन् र उहाँहरूका प्रयासहरू र सफलता र सँघर्षका कथाहरूलाई celebrate गर्ने, उहाँहरूलाई थप उत्साह र उर्जा दिने उद्देश्य सहित मनाइने यस उद्यमशीलताको पर्वलाई हामी यस वर्ष पनि मनाउदैँछौँ ।

Global Entrepreneurship Week २०२१ कै उपलक्ष्यमा हामी नेपाली उद्यमशीलता जगतमा सफलताका नयाँ उचाईहरूलाई पुग्न सक्षम तीन उद्यमीहरूसँग  कुराकानी गर्दैछौँ । यस हप्ताभर हामीसँग F1Soft International का अध्यक्ष विश्वास ढकाल, Sastodeal का अमुन थापा र आमोका आयुषा श्रेष्ठ पडकाष्टमा जोडिनुहुनेछ ।

नेपालको विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा ठुलो - सानो scale मा  ढुङ्गा, गिट्टी, वालुवाको उत्खनन हुने गरेको छ । तर यस्ता प्राकृतिक स्रोतको बढ्दो उत्खनन र प्रयोगले उत्खनन हुने ठाउँको खोला नाला, नदी, पहाड र त्यहाँको समग्र वातावरणमा पार्ने  असर र मानवीय प्रभावहरू हामी सबैको चासोको विषय बन्न पुगेको छ। यस एपिसोडमा हामीले ढुङ्गा, गिट्टी, बालुवाको  उत्खननको  अर्थ राजनीतिलाई अझ नजिकबाट बुझ्ने प्रयास गरेका छौँ ।

ढुङ्गा, गिट्टी, बालुवाको उत्खननको प्रक्रिया कस्तो हुन्छ? यसबाट उठ्ने रोयल्टी अथवा राजस्व हाम्रा स्थानीय तह र प्रदेशहरूका लागि कतिको महत्त्वपुर्ण छ? यस्ता खानीजन्य स्रोतको प्रयोगलाई  दिगो बनाउन यस क्षेत्रमा कस्तो नियमन आवश्यक छ? आजको एपिसोडमा यिनै प्रश्नहरूमा हामीले प्राध्यापक डक्टर ईश्वर गौतम, लुम्बिनी प्रदेशको प्रदेश योजना आयोगका उपाध्यक्ष, र उत्तम बाबु श्रेष्ठ, Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (GIIS) को Founding Director, सँग कुराकानी गरेका छौँ ।

Research by Prience Shrestha and Shreya Subedi.

Edited by Roshan Basnet.

Our guest Ms. Darshana Shrestha is the 3rd Vice-president of Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs Associations of Nepal. She also founded and is the CEO of Nature Nepal, a skincare brand. Over a decade of advocating for women entrepreneurs in Nepal, she has worked with women entrepreneurs across the country and has closely followed the growth of entrepreneurship. In this episode, we spoke to her about the challenges and prospects facing women entrepreneurs in digitalisation of their businesses.

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“एकदमै राम्रो नीति बनेको थियो तर कार्यान्वयन हुन सकेन ” भनेर हामीले धेरै सुन्ने गरेका छौँ । के यस्ता कार्यान्वयन नै हुन नसक्ने  नीतिलाई पनि राम्रा नीति मान्न सकिन्छ ? सार्वजनिक नीति भनेको के हो ? कस्तो नीतिलाई असल सार्वजनिक नीति मान्न सकिन्छ ? आजको एपिसोडमा हामीले नेपालको नीति निर्माण प्रक्रियासँग गाँसिएर आउने यिनै प्रश्नहरूबारे समृद्धि फाउनडेसनका निर्देशक दिपेन्द्र चौलागाईंसँग छलफल गरेका छौँ ।

Markets make rich the richer and poor the poorer.

Markets lead to monopolies and syndicates.

We hear these statements thrown around very often. But are they true? Why are we doubtful of competition and the free market? In today’s episode, we examine some of these statement about markets in Nepal with our guest Mr Ashesh Shrestha. He is a Master of Economics student at the University of Texas at Austin. He previously worked as a researcher at Samriddhi Foundation.

Dinesh Gautam, founder of Hriti Foundation, and Shristika Neupane, a student and researcher at Bikalpa An Alternative, share their thoughts on what role young people play in policymaking. Dinesh started writing on public issues at the young age of 15 and has since continued to examine the policy environment in Karnali. At Hriti, his team conducts research to identify policy measures that help promote markets and entrepreneurship in Karnali. With her research works, Shristika is also dedicated to making it easier for entrepreneurs to start and operate businesses in Province 1. She is motivated by seeing the impact her work has in informing both public and policymakers about the consequences of policy actions. She hopes her work can help them make the right policy decisions towards the growth of the province. Both of these researchers have much to share about why young people like them need to be engaged in policymaking.

The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection collected Rs 11.8 million through fines from various businesses during the first four months of the fiscal year. Despite the market inspections conducted by the department and other federal and local agencies, consumer protection remains a challenge. In this episode, we talk to Ms. Ayushma Maharjan about why common consumer protection measures the government uses, such as price control, quality control, and profit margin fixation, do little to protect consumers. She suggests that consumer protection laws first need to acknowledge that consumers are rational and make purchases that are best for them. She adds that legislations should focus on protecting consumers from violation of contracts between consumers and businesses rather than stipulating the terms of transaction between the two parties. Ms. Maharjan is a researcher at Samriddhi Foundation. In addition to consumer protection, she has done extensive research on education, agriculture, and public procurement.

Continuing our conversation on property rights, we speak to Mr. Akash Shrestha about the moral foundations of property rights. Mr. Shrestha is the Research Manager at Samriddhi Foundation.  From Aristotle to Richard Pipes, he traces the arguments in favor of property rights and concludes that property rights are fundamental to freedom. He also shares his observations on why property rights are important for the prosperity of Nepalis.

Dr. Bhimarjun Acharya is a leading constitutional expert of Nepal. In this episode, we spoke to him about the history of property rights in the constitutions of Nepal. The right relating to the property is recognized as a fundamental right in the Constitution of Nepal 2015. He opines that the current constitution secures citizen’s right to property. However, he says that the rise in the trend of undermining this right by some sections of Nepali politics is concerning. He says that Nepalis must remain vigilant of their rights.

In this episode, we spoke to a writer and an enthusiast of the political economy, Mr. Murahari Parajuli. He has written extensively on liberal values and has translated ‘Foundations of a Free Society’ and ‘Capitalism: An Introduction’ into Nepali language. In this episode, he explains that our understanding of freedom needs to extend beyond the routine exercises of political freedoms, such as voting and peaceful protests and invites us to examine how the increasing role of the government in the everyday lives of citizens is shrinking the space for individual freedom. He also shares his observations of how the ‘socialism-oriented economy’ as enshrined in the Constitution has fared in the last five years and warns us against the pitfalls of socialism. However, he remains hopeful that Nepalis will continue to defend their liberties.

Hundreds of thousands of Nepalis leave the country every year in search of economic opportunities. Does that mean we do not have work in Nepal? We believe that we could definitely create meaningful job opportunities in Nepal itself if our policies made it easier for citizens to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations. Today, our guest is Mr. Basanta Adhikari who heads Bikalpa - An Alternative, a public policy institute based in Biratnagar, and he and his group have set out to advocate for just those policies. In this episode, we talk about his team’s endeavour to educate the policymakers and the public alike on building such a facilitative policy regime through their many works including the Campaign for Economic Freedom.

For the inaugural episode of Prosperity Podcast, we discuss the state of affairs and economic freedom in Nepal with Surath Giri. Surath Giri is a policy researcher turned entrepreneur. He currently runs Onion Films Nepal, an audio-visual production company, and Nepal Language & Research Solutions, a translation and research agency. He is also the founding president of Nepal Prosperity Institute, a think tank working to promote market economy and entrepreneurship in Nepal. Moreover, he is also the curator at Global Shapers Kathmandu Hub. He creates and hosts the podcast The Nepali Economist.