Kathmandu, July 9 -- Prime Minister Balendra Shah has begun formal consultations with the private sector after completing the first 100 days in office, signalling a shift towards broader engagement with key economic stakeholders as the government seeks to revive a sluggish economy and restore business confidence.

Until this week, Shah had largely refrained from holding structured meetings with representatives of the private sector, political leaders outside government and the diplomatic community. Apart from two collective interactions with ambassadors based in Kathmandu, Shah had devoted much of his first 100 days to establishing his administration's priorities.

On Tuesday, Shah met Masato Kanda, president of the Asian Development Bank...