This file photo shows a Special Economic Zone in Bhairahawa.

November 19: At a time when the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and other industrial estates announced by the government are struggling to operate, the government has decided to announce 12 new areas as industrial villages. In order to develop entrepreneurship at the local level and to facilitate landless local youths, the industrial villages have been announced in Province 1, Bagmati Province, Karnali Province, and Gandaki Province.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 9 decided to convert various places of Udayapur and Tehrathum of Province 1 as industrial villages. The industrial villages are being setup on 63 ropani of land in Rautamai Rural Municipality – 5 and 8 bigha of land in Belaka Municipality of Udayapur. Likewise, a 64 ropani land at Myanglung Rural Municipality 1 and 10, Tehrathum has been declared as industrial village.

Similarly, the Council of Ministers has also decided to develop 187 ropani of government land in Subhaghat area of Bidur Municipality – 10, Nuwakot as an industrial village.

Two industrial villages have been declared in Surkhet, Karnali out of which 20 bigha of government land of Bheriganga – 11 and 10 bighas of community forest in Chowkune rural municipality – 5 will be utilized. It has also been decided to build an industrial village on 20 bigha of government land in Shivalaya Rural Municipality – 4 of Jajarkot.

The government has planned to make highest number of industrial villages in Gandaki Province, which includes Syanja, Tanahu, Nawalparasi (east of Bardaghar Susta), Manang and Parbat.

The government has already declared 93 ropanis of land in Kaligandaki rural municipality – 5 of Syangja, 47 ropanis of land in Bhanu municipality – 3 of Tanahu and 100 ropanis of land in Baudikali village municipality – 2 of Nawalparasi as industrial gram.