Kathmandu: A get together meeting of the sponsors of the proposed Confederation of Nepalese Industries was held in Kathmandu on July 3. According to a press release the meeting, hosted by Tek Chandra Pokharel, was attended by 20 industrial and services businesses.

The press release said although there was consensus on the need of the CNI, but some expressed scepticism about the requirement of such an organisation and also whether enough homework was done to form such an organisation.

There are others who see CNI as a direct competitor of the FNCCI, till now the only apex body of the business community.

But Pokharel, rationalizing the establishment of CNI, said the new organisation did not intend to compete with or weaken any existing organisation but to promote and enhance the common interests of investors and employers of the economy.

Former President of FNCCI, Binod Chaudhary, said to be one of the brains behind CNI, said that while the roles and responsibilities of FNCCI would be to cater to the needs of its key constituents – the district and municipal chambers – the role of CNI will be in filling up the delivery gaps and vacuum in the required services to the business sector. He also said the main objective of CNI would be not to confront the FNCCI but to complement it.

Others who also spoke for the proposed institution included Jagadish Agrawal, Shyam Bahadur Pandey, Yogendra Shakya, A. R. Murarka and Basanta Mishra.