Tanahun, November 15:

According to statistics of Cottage and Small Industries (CSI) Development Committee Office, Tanahun, out of a total 1,773 CSIs registered in the district from fiscal year 1983-84 to fiscal year 2004-05, 1,190 CSIs have been dissolved. Total investment in 583 Cottage and Small Industries operating within the district is estimated to be almost Rs 292 million. Among those, which are functioning, 76 are Cottage Industries and 507 are Small Scale Industries (SSI). Out of these, 507 SSI and 26 were registered under Company Act. The annual production capacity of these industries is worth around Rs 541 million and they have been providing employment to 4,990 locals, said office chief Hem Kumar Rai. He added that though construction industries and cottage industries producing candles, textiles, bags and Dhaka products are in profit, other CSIs are not doing good business.

Rai further informed that in the Handicrafts Development Centre — established here keeping in mind Dhaka entrepreneurs — at least 20 entrepreneurs from Ramechhap, Palpa, Kaski, Sindhuli, Gulmi, Okhaldhunga and Tanahun have taken refreshment trainings. He said,

“People here are getting attracted to Dhaka weaving because of the growing demand of Dhaka fabric not only within the country but also abroad.” Industry officer of CSI Development Committee, Pabitra Bahadur KC said that the office collected Rs 2,06,181 revenues last year as registration fees, renewal fees, capital increment and transfer of rights etc.

Hem Kumar Rai said that in different training programmes run by the office — including skill development, accounting, participation training — altogether 4,295 people including 3,118 women and 1,177 men took part. In addition to these trainings, trainings in candle making, sewing, Dhaka weaving, soap making, mechanic training, fabric paintings, house wiring, bee keeping etc were provided by the office last year. The office further informed that in the present fiscal year 2005-06 too, different trainings including women interaction, industrial exhibition, policy making, sewing machine repairing, refreshment training in Dhaka weaving among others will be provided to 184 entrepreneurs.