Govt forms task force to study Hetauda Kapada Udyog

Kathmandu, Oct. 2: The government has taken initiatives to bring Hetauda Kapada Udyog into operation.

Minister for Industry Nabindra Raj Joshi Sunday said that the government had formed a task force to study the present status of the industry, and it is to submit its report to the ministry soon.

“The government has constituted a 9-member task force led by economist and former National Planning Commission Member Dr. Pushkar Bajracharya. It has representatives from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Ministry of Industry (MoI), Ministry of Finance (MoF) and business community members,” he said.

According to the ministry, joint secretary of MoF Hari Sharan Pudasaini, joint secretary of MoI Yam Lal Bhusal and private sector representatives Ram Ekbal Yadav, Ajay Mudbhari and Bina Gautam Shrestha are in the committee along with the other stakeholders.

Established about four decades ago, Hetauda Kapada Udyog has the capacity to produce approximately 36,000 metres of cloth per day. The company has already been liquidated and merged into the Industrial District Management Limited. 

Minister Joshi said that the government would operate those industries which were shut in the past decades.

After his appointment as the Minister for Finance, Joshi had floated ‘the Industrial Sector Reform Action Plan’ with an aim to attract more investment from Nepalese and foreign investors and operate the state-owned industries that had been out of operation for many years.

Agriculture Inputs Company Limited, Nepal Metal Company, Nepal Oriend Magnesite Company, Birgunj Sugar Mills, Nepal Drug Company Limited, Butwal Dhago Karkhana, and Gorakhkali Rubber Udhyog are the top priority for re-operation.

Minister Joshi said that other industries would also be brought into operation in collaboration with the private sector.

The government has been planning to reform the policies related to the mines and geological studies.

Likewise, it is planning to utilise the budget from the Constituency Development Fund to create entrepreneurs and promote entrepreneurship.

“The government has been planning to call business proposals from individuals with innovative ideas for business development, and they will be provided with necessary advice, financing and other necessary things,” said Joshi.

The government has already called for business proposals from the people. Those with the best ideas will be provided with training immediately after the festival season this year.