Kathmandu, Nov. 15 -- Within less than two weeks of opening applications for subsidised start-up loans, the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute (IEDI) has received 1,089 submissions.

An additional 2,300 applications are currently being processed. Nearly 100 applications have been submitted offline.

The notice, published last Wednesday, invites entrepreneurs to submit applications and project proposals within 21 days.

"Last fiscal year, we received 5,120 proposals. The number is rising annually, and we expect around 10,000 applications this year," said Maniram Gautam, IEDI's information officer.

Very few applicants now submit proposals in person, officials said.

The startup policy aims to retain youths in the country by helpin...