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| Kathmandu, Sunday December 15, 2002 Mangshir 29, 2059. |
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Minister hints at privatising
industrial districts
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Dec 14:Minister for Industry,
Commerce and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan today hinted at privatising industrial districts
in an attempt to minimise losses that the government is incurring through such industrial
districts.
He said that giving continuation to the 10
industrial districts would neither help the industrialists nor the state and they should
be privatised by adopting proper mechanism.
Minister said this while speaking at a two-day
seminar jointly organised by Industrial Area Development Limited and Federation of
Industries of Industrial Areas here today.
Minister Pradhan claimed that the original
concept of setting industrial district was to transfer its ownership from the government
to the industrialists. "The government is just receiving rent at present while the
need is to privatise them as they are under utilised," he remarked.
"There is no option other than privatising
these districts in order to minimise the unnecessary financial burden just because that
they are state-owned", he added.
Pradhan also said that the prices of the
districts should be fixed in such a way that neither the buyer nor the seller would be at
disadvantage.
Minister Pradhan stated that the money the
nation would get from the sale of those industrial districts would be utilised in setting
up another such districts in other areas of the country.
The government currently holds 10 industrial
districts including of Balaju, Patan, Hetauda, Nepalgunj, Pokhara, Butwal, Bhaktapur,
Birendranagar and Rajbiraj. However, one such industrial district in Dhankuta is under
construction.
Among the total 478 industries within the
premises of the industrial districts throughout the country, 86 have already been closed.
The government has invested Rs 7.5 billion in establishing those industrial districts
which currently provide employment to 13,970 people.
Highlighting the huge failure of Birgunj Sugar
Mill, Bhaktapur Tiles and Brick Factory and Himal Cement Factory, Minister Pradhan blamed
the previous governments for the poor operation of those state-owned industries.
"The present government is neither in the
position to finance these poorly performing factories nor to operate them," he added.
Minister Shrestha also requested the
participants to suggest measures utilising his ministerial power for the promotion of the
industrial development.
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