Kathmandu, March 30:

The government is planning to set up a cottage industries village in Pokhara for the promotion of cottage and small industries.

Speaking during a programme organised by Cottage and Small Industry Development Board on ‘Fostering Cooperation with Media for Utilising ICT for Development of Micro, Cottage and Small Industries (MCSI)’, Minister for Industry Asta Laxmi Shakya said Pokhara though a major tourist destination lacked a cottage industry village to promote both tourism and the cottage and small industry sector.

Shakya said, “The government has identified the Himal cement factory area for developing it as a handicrafts village.” Himal cement factory is in Chobar, an area preferred by the Federation of Handicrafts Association of Nepal (FHAN) for the establishment of a handicrafts village.

She also sought support for the promotion of micro, cottage and small industries. “We have given special priority to the cottage and small industry sector in the Industrial Policy 2065 draft, and if the policy gets approved without any amendments it will contribute greatly to the promotion of this sector,” she said.

Federation of Nepalese of Chambers and Commerce (FNCCI) vice-president Bhaskar

Raj Karnikar said the development of country directly depends on the development of the cottage and small industry sector. “Along with it, there is need for a policy that would promote our products, brands and logos to meet the growing market competition,” he added.

“The media can play a vital role through the flow of information regarding use and consumption of local products. If small industries are preserved and promoted it will be easy for us to tide over even during the global crisis,” said Federation of Nepalese Cottage and Small Industry (FNCSI) president Ang Dendi Sherpa.

Sherpa said the high advertising cost also was a hindrance to the small industries which does not give them a chance to spread information about their products. He added that the government should help them to produce broadcast programmes about small industries.

Cottage and Small Industry Development Board executive director Shyam Prasad Giri said the country was lagging behind in the development of small and cottage industries but media support can help it reach people and inform them about these industries’ role in cushioning the shock of the financial crisis.

FHAN-ECoN pact

KATHMANDU: FHAN general secretary Dharma Raj Shakya and Export Council of Nepal (ECoN) president Naresh Das on Monday signed an agreement for mutual support and coordination in handicrafts export and promotion. Voicing his pleasure at becoming a part of FHAN, Das said the pact would help encourage handicraft export and be beneficial for exporters too. — HNS