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Potential sites for craft village found
KATHMANDU, MAR 30 -
The Federation of Handi-craft Associations of Nepal has stated that it has discovered three suitable locations in the Kathmandu Valley to establish a handicraft village. Handicraft entrepreneurs have been demanding for the last six years that a handicraft village be set up.
"We have found locations with over 200 ropanis of land to build the village," said president of the federation Bikash Ratna Dhakhwa. "We are doing the final preparation with the government to acquire the land." However, he did not disclose the potential locations.
He added that a high level discussion was underway with the concerned authority. The government had announced six years ago in the budget speech that a handicraft village would be established.
According to the federation, a full fledged handicraft village will be established within five years from the date it obtains the land. "Construction will be completed in five years while construction of the factories in the village will be completed within two years," said Dhakhwa.
The proposed handicraft village is expected to accommodate 100 factories, provide jobs to around 10,000 persons and help boost exports of Nepali handicraft products. The village will also be an attractive destination for tourists to observe how handicraft goods are produced.
Pushkar Man Shakya, immediate past president of the federation, said that the village was needed to develop the handicraft sector and build an identity of Nepali culture and art. "This time, the government seems a bit serious," he added. "We hope we will get the land within the current fiscal year."
The village will house in a cluster industries producing metal craft, handmade Nepali paper, woollen and silk carpets, gems and jewellery, gold and silver, woodcarving, paubha and modern paintings, pottery and ceramics, stone carving, pashmina and handloom products and garments made of natural fabrics, among others.
Meanwhile, the federation is also working out the technicalities to set up a cadmium testing lab. "We will set up a non-destructive lab which can be used to test any metal product, not only silver products containing cadmium," said Dhakhwa. "Two machines have been identified, one each in the EU and Japan, for which we will be calling for tenders very soon."
The lab is estimated
to cost Rs. 12 million.
The government has decided to put up 49 percent of the investment while the private sector will pick up the rest.
Posted on: 2010-03-31 08:40
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