BAGLUNG: Industrial villages are to be developed in two local levels of Baglung district for the promotion of entrepreneurship through utilisation of local resources, skills and technology.

Baglung Municipality and Tarakhola Rural Municipality have come up with the concept of developing industrial villages in line with the national goal 'one local level, one industrial village'.

The government has approved the concept for developing industrial villages following preliminary feasibility study in both the areas, said Baglung Municipality mayor, Janak Raj Poudel. "The Ministry of Industry has called for signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect next week," Poudel said, adding, "We will start necessary preparations this year for the establishment of the industrial village."

Industrial villages are to be established with the investment of and coordination among all three tiers of the government -- federal, provincial and local.

The province government sent its recommendation to the federal government for approval to establish industrial villages as per the demand of the local government. The local level needs to make land available for the purpose. Baglung Municipality has secured the land at Kalakhola in Ward-13. "Almost 85 ropani public land is already available there and we will purchase additional land if needed," said the mayor.

The industrial village is expected to contribute to foster employment opportunities and economic prosperity through mobilisation of local resources. Locals of the area are elated with the work that is in progress for establishing the industrial village at Taragaun Rural Municipality – which is ahead in agriculture, livestock, minerals, and timber production.

Land to build the industrial village has been allotted at Amarbhumi of Ward-1, shared Taragaun Rural Municipality chair Prakash Gharti Magar. "The tasks for developing detailed project report and environmental impact assessment are gaining momentum," he shared, adding that the infrastructure development should begin this year.

Gandaki Province had urged all local levels of the district to explore potential land for industrial village. Other local levels could not timely manage land for the purpose so they were excluded from the process this time.

Both federal and state governments in their policy and programmes have envisioned developing industrial villages at local levels. Such village will have small and medium industries while industries with big investment will be established inside industrial zones.