Govt for modernisation of industries: Khadka

RSS

HETAUDA, Aug. 21: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purna Bahadur Khadka has said His Majesty's Government is sensitive about meeting the basic requirements of the people through modernisation of industries and setting up new industries in the country.

Minister Khadka made this remark during an interaction programme of the managers of industries and the heads of various offices organised by the Hetauda Industrial Estate here today.

Khadka urged the entrepreneurs and industrialists to enhance their production capacities and make improvements in their management in order to compete in the international market and earn foreign currency.

His Majesty's Government has been providing security to all the industries in the country, he said, adding that the industrialists and the management should move ahead by maintaining a balance between production and demand in the market.

President of the Makawanpur District Chamber of Commerce and Industry Madhav Prasad Rijal stressed the need for His Majesty's Government and the FNCCI to formulate a policy for the industries to become self-reliant as well as economic prosperity of the country.

General Manager of Nepal Industrial Management Private Limited Ramakant Mainali, manager of Hetauda Industrial Estate Bimal Ghimire, president of Nepal Industries Association, Makawanpur Hitler Bisate, general secretary Chintamani Uprety and industrialist Achyut Pyakhurel also expressed their views.

At present about 6,800 people are directly involved in the 40 industries of Hetauda Industrial Estate.

Minister Khadka also inspected the Nepal Lever Private Limited and other industries based at the Hetauda Industrial Estate.

Budget crunch hampers project

RSS

DHADING: The construction work of Archaletar Irrigation Project has come to standstill owing to the failure of timely budget release.

The local people have contributed volunteer labour worth Rs 3 million for completing the construction of 4 kilometres.

The project could irrigate 300 hectares of land, about 3,500 population of 500 households at Khalte VDC being benefited, if it were completed.

The project, estimated to be completed at the total cost of Rs 7.66 million, had been included in the red book by the National Planning Commission, making the local people more optimistic.

However, Users' Committee president Rhishi Bahadur Magar is sceptic now if the construction work will resumes again.

The project was to be completed within the 2nd irrigation sector programme that was launched in 1998 and ends in 2002, leaving only few months' time for the project to be concluded, which seems impossible.

The government should not have stopped the construction work like this while it was progressing, grumbles a local social worker Dhrub Prasad Dhungana.

Air conditioned bus services commence

RSS

KATHMANDU: Air-conditioned minibus services will be operated as a means of public transport from Kathmandu to various destinations from today.

The services of the mini buses called airbus will be operated during the daytime between Kathmandu and Biratnagar, Birgunj, Bharatpur (TADI), Bhairahawa and Pokhara.

The 25-seater comfortable buses imported from the internationally renowned Kia motor company of the republic of Korea will insure every passenger for Rs 200,000 and will also have hostess.

Kedar Lamichhaney who is operating the bus services disclosed that the minibus service has made provision of standard food for the passengers in healthy and family atmosphere.

Operation director of Minibus, Prakash Upreti, said that the bus service will be providing all the facilities available in airlines.