Government is drawing up a plan to involve expatriate Nepalis in the country’s development in the future, an announcement said Friday. The announcement came immediately after Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand chaired a meeting Friday to coordinate and review Nepal’s efforts to promote economic diplomacy.

The Nepali diaspora is spread from East Asia to West Asia with many living in Europe and the USA as well. Repatriation by expatriate Nepalis is the biggest source of convertible currency for Nepal surpassing convertible currency brought in to the county by garment and carpet exporters, hoteliers and ex-Gurkha soldiers.

Nepal loses a lot of convertible currency as expatriates dispatch the money home through Indian money dealers in “hundi” by retaining convertible currency and sending Indian currency to Nepal.

Nepal Rashtra Bank is trying to develop a network to send money to Nepal directly through established money and recognized dealers.