Koshi Province is all set to host its first-ever Investment Summit on May 1-2 in the provincial capital, Biratnagar. The provincial government aims to attract investments worth nearly Rs 175bn through the event, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
At a press conference held on Wednesday, Saroj Koirala, CEO of the Provincial Investment Authority, said the summit marks a historic and result-oriented initiative for the prosperity and development of Koshi Province, which holds immense investment potential. The government will showcase 71 large-scale projects, each valued above Rs 100m, across eight key sectors including tourism, agriculture, industry, energy, infrastructure, and IT services.
According to Koirala, the total estimated cost of these showcased projects stands at Rs 173.49bn. To facilitate investment, the provincial government has amended eight key laws through ordinances, aimed at creating an investor-friendly legal framework.
On April 29, Province Chief Parshuram Khapung issued the ordinances, following the recommendation of the provincial cabinet. According to Rewatiraman Bhandari, Minister for Internal Affairs and Law and spokesperson of the provincial government, the amended laws include the Public Private Partnership and Investment Authority Act 2019, Provincial Cooperative Act, Provincial Transport Management Act, Provincial Building Act, Provincial Industrial Enterprises Act, Provincial Tourism Act, Koshi Province Private and Partnership Firm Registration Act, and the Provincial Forest Act.
Minister Bhandari said these legal reforms are expected to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and ease the investment process. Coordination has also been made with the federal government, which has already amended several related laws, and further legal initiatives are underway.
Investors from China, Russia, the United States, South Korea, India, along with non-resident Nepalis and prominent domestic industrialists, are expected to attend the summit. The event will feature six thematic panel discussions, covering areas such as agriculture and tourism potential, industrial production and marketing, infrastructure development and energy, and opportunities in health and medical education.
The opening day will include discussions on Koshi Province’s investment environment and intergovernmental coordination across Nepal’s three levels of government. To ensure the summit leads to tangible outcomes, the provincial government has also planned a pre-meeting and will conduct periodic follow-up meetings post-summit to address implementation challenges.
Koirala said the government is preparing to sign agreements to move forward with at least two dozen projects during the event.
