NSO, CNI to collaborate on National Economic Census 2082

KATHMANDU: The National Statistics Office (NSO) and Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) have agreed to collaborate to ensure the effectiveness of the upcoming National Economic Census 2082, officials said on Monday.

The commitment was made at a joint interaction programme at the CNI secretariat in Kathmandu, chaired by CNI Director General Ghanashyam Ojha. NSO Deputy Chief Statistician Dhundi Raj Lamichhane attended as the chief guest, and the meeting drew CNI leaders and representatives from affiliated industry associations.

Addressing the programme, NSO Director Dr Ved Prasad Dhakal outlined the census framework and objectives. Participants then identified two priorities: including the informal economy and unregistered businesses in the census to better measure the economy’s true size, and formalising cooperation through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for future research and data analysis.

CNI President Birendra Raj Pandey stressed the need for accurate official statistics for business planning and public policy. He said CNI will mobilise its network — 29 institutional members and more than 500 large industries — to raise awareness and encourage private sector participation.

Addressing privacy concerns, Deputy Chief Statistician Lamichhane assured businesses that information collected will remain confidential under the Statistics Act, 2079. He emphasised that the census, under the slogan “Economic Census for Economic Measurement,” is intended to produce economic indicators and support research, not to be used for taxation or punitive action.

Officials said the census’s success depends on active private sector engagement and that the NSO and CNI will work together to build trust, improve data coverage and produce a reliable database to inform strategic decisions across government and industry.