DPR ready for three industrial zones

Kathmandu, July 17

The government has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of industrial districts in Mayurdhap of Makwanpur, Motipur of Rupandehi and Naubasta of Banke districts.

Likewise, the Industrial District Management Limited (IDML) has approved the DPR draft of industrial districts in Daiji of Kanchanpur, Shaktikhor of Chitwan and Lamki of Kailali district.

"The government has allocated budget for the development of basic infrastructure in those proposed industrial areas so the work will begin within a couple of months," said the IDML.

It has completed the feasibility study for the industrial area at Laxmipur in Dang district. The industrial area will be established in about 371.82 hectares of land.

The IDML is also preparing the DPR of industrial areas in Sagarnath of Sarlahi, and preliminary feasibility study is being conducted in Chhinchutar of Tanahun and Chupra of Dailekh district.

The industrial districts are being developed in multiple locations in all seven provinces as per the government policy to establish at least one such facility in at least 1,000 bigaha of land in each province.

Of the 11 industrial districts under the roadmap, six in Jhapa, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Rupandehi, Banke and Kanchanpur had already been announced, and Sarlahi, Dang, Kailali, Tanahun and Dailekh are in the process of announcement.

Of all the projects, Damak Industrial District has entered into the construction stage following the government-private sector agreement to develop it as per the BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) model.

Project offices have been established for the construction of the industrial districts at Naubasta, Mayurdhap, and Motipur. Likewise, public hearing had been conducted for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) at Naubasta, Shaktikhor and Daiji.

Provinces 3 and 5 have two industrial districts each, Mayurdhap and Shaktikhor, and Motipur and Naubasta respectively.

Likewise, Provinces 2, Sudur Paschim and Karnali have an industrial zone each – Sagarnath, Daiji and Lamki respectively.

Sagarnath is the largest industrial zone by area, which has been expanded to 2031.33 hectares followed by Shaktikhor 1178.76 ha. and Lamki 744.82 ha. Mayurdhap is the smallest one covering just 135 hectares.

Nepal currently has 10 industrial zones – Balaju, Hetauda, Patan, Nepalgunj, Dharan, Pokhara, Butwal, Birendranagar, Bhaktapur and Rajbiraj.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 18 July 2019.