MAKAWANPUR, Feb 10: With the announcement of Hetauda as the temporary provincial capital of Province 3, there is high possibility that Makawanpur district will see speedy economic growth.
With the Provincial Assembly Secretariat, Office of the Provincial Chief, Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers and seven different ministries to be set up, the city once considered only a crossroads between three different highways has high hopes for increased economic activities.
Industrialists and entrepreneurs are confident that the district will soon become an industrial hub if it were to be a permanent capital.
Hetauda, being a link between the national capital (Kathmandu), tarai and India, the city has immense potential, according to Nepal Bhushan Baidya, chief of Hetauda Industrial Estate Management Office.
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“Currently, there are 87 industries operating in Hetauda, with the launch of the Hetauda Industrial Estate,” Baidya said, adding, “After the announcement to make the city a temporary provincial capital, 300 more industries are expected to be established. Even industrialists from Kathmandu have shown interest in investing in Hetauda.”
Basu Karki, secretary of Makwanpur Industrial Association seconded Baidya’s claim.
“The industrialists in Hetauda have a new hope now,” Karki said. “For the past 53 years, they have been facing various problems. But with the city being the provincial capital, we are hopeful that these problems will be addressed.”
“Industries here are running under a very critical situation. We have put our properties at stake for loans to run the industries, it would be a great help if the government could consider our situation and promote local products and minimize use of imported goods, replacing them by locally available products,” Karki said, adding that facilities and infrastructure such as ambulance, fire brigade, and new technologies must be made easily accessible.
With the announcement of Hetauda as a temporary provincial capital, the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) Hetauda has also increased their involvement in the proper management of Hetauda Bazar. The federation has taken initiatives to better manage the traffic, footpath and parking.
“With Hetauda being named as the provincial capital, there is no doubt that the city will grow in terms of development.” “Hetauda’s status as the provincial capital could be instrumental to the development of business, entrepreneurship, and tourism in this area,” said FNCCI Hetauda president, Krishna Katwal. He further stated that it was the responsibility of the concerned district authorities to work for proper management and welfare of the city.
CPN-UML’s Makawanpur district president and provincial representative Manu Sigdel has pledged to make suitable environment for industrial promotion once the new provincial government was in place. She also said that once they were in the provincial government, they world replace old industries that have occupied unnecessary space with new ones and help in the import of raw materials.
The Hetauda Industrial Estate, established in 2020 BS has now 87 industries, employing 4000 individuals. The estate covers an area of 3300 ropani, and an additional estate is under construction for new industries.
