KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle held a meeting with representatives of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, pledging sweeping changes to improve the business environment and ease burdens on the private sector.

During the discussion, Wagle assured business leaders that they would no longer have to pay bribes, stand in long bureaucratic queues, or face detention in the course of routine operations.

“The private sector will no longer suffer. We are your partners in progress,” he said. “There will be no need to pay bribes, no need to wait in lines, and no reason for businesspeople to be detained.”

He emphasized his commitment to integrity, stating that he had not entered office to engage in corruption and would not allow others to do so. “I am here to steer the economy onto a new course and move the country forward,” Wagle added.

The finance minister clarified that cases of financial misconduct would be addressed through monetary penalties rather than imprisonment for entrepreneurs and business operators. However, he warned that the government would act firmly against any deliberate or organized wrongdoing.

Wagle also expressed confidence that as the state becomes a supportive partner, the private sector would reciprocate with honesty and accountability.