KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) on Thursday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs, saying it would remove barriers to entrepreneurship and promote locally manufactured products at major tourist destinations.

During a meeting with a Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs’ Associations of Nepal (FWEAN) delegation led by President Darshana Shrestha and including Third Vice President Mahalaxmi Shrestha, General Secretary Sabita Subedi, Secretary Dikila Sherpa Lama, and Executive Member Anuja Rajbhandari Shrestha, PM Shah encouraged the federation to move ahead with its “Ma Udhyami” (I am an Entrepreneur) brand and assured government support for women-led businesses.

The FWEAN delegation urged the government to create a more business-friendly environment, expand access to domestic and international markets, support trade fairs and export promotion, prioritize women-owned businesses in public procurement, broaden financial concessions, provide alternative collateral arrangements, and involve the federation in policy-making related to entrepreneurship.