Himalayan News Service

Pokhara, February 4:

The number of visitors to the nine-day long Industrial Fair-2061, being held in Pokhara since Tuesday, is steadily increasing. The Fair is being held to mark the golden jubilee of Pokhara Chambers of commerce and industries. The ministry of industries, commerce and supply, FNCCI and PCCI has jointly organised the fair to promote and find a market for local products.

Five former chairmen of the PCCI, inaugurated the Fair at Basundhara Park at Baidam on Tuesday. The organisers said the number was relatively more than that of the first two days.

The secretariat of the organising committee claimed that the fair would be more beneficial to visitors than previous fairs. The organisers hoped that the industrial fair would promote the industrial sector of Pokhara by consolidating domestic market and promoting the export of domestic goods, thereby contributing to health, education and tourism sectors. The fair has planned a special focus to increasing interest in automobile sector and information technology. Chairman of working committee of the Industrial Trade Fair-2061, Rajendra Kumar Lalchan said they were going to hold few seminars on IT that could be helpful for young visitors.

He added automobile companies have 49 stalls in the fair. Agricultural sector has also received special attention. The stalls on agriculture are providing concession to exhibitors. People can also have information on agriculture like better tools and technologies that can help the industrialisation of the sector. The fair has stalls for handicrafts and cottage industry goods, not only from Pokhara but also from around the country. The goods range from forest resource-based goods to handlooms and from food to medicinal herbs. Organisers maintain the exhibition of such goods could be a help for market promotion and industrialisation.

They said the flower exhibition and cultural programmes of as many as 14 communities have become crowd pullers. National dohori song competition and musical programmes are also adding to the attraction.

The provision of 50 per cent discount on entrance tickets to students has encouraged them. The fair secretariat informed that the best stall would be getting special prizes on the concluding day. The fair has planned to attract industrialists and consumers from the city, surrounding areas and also from India. The organisers hope to save some two million rupees at the end of the programme and they estimate about 2,00,000 would come to the fair by the concluding day. They also say the total cost of the industrial fair-2061 would be some Rs 2.5 million.