December 20: The registration of micro, cottage and small scale industries have increased across the country amid the covid-19 pandemic. According to the ‘Micro, Cottage and Small Industries Statistics 2020/21’ released by the Department of Industry a few days ago, the registration of such industries has increased significantly in the last fiscal year as compared to the previous year. The department also informed that the investment in SMEs have also increased. 

The statistics show that a total of 83,386 industries were registered in 77 districts during the review period, which is almost double the previous year. 

The proposed total capital of the registered companies last year was Rs 185.20 billion and it is estimated that those industries will create employment for 311,693 people after  they come into operation. 

In the fiscal year 2076/77, a total of 45,854 industries were registered across the nation. Likewise, the proposed capital of all those industries was Rs 111.15 billion. These registered industries were expected to provide employment to 169,771 after their operation. 

Pushparaj Shivakoti, a statistics officer involved in writing the report, says that the number of registered industries has also increased as the number of youths who want to do something in the country has increased after the pandemic. 

With the statistics of the two fiscal years, the total number of micro, cottage and small industries has reached more than 487,000 so far. 

The highest number of such industries have been registered in Bagmati Province (32 percent) and the lowest in Karnali Province. As per the data of the department, only 5 percent micro, cottage and small industries have been registered in Karnali. Likewise, 17 percent of such industries are registered in Lumbini, The registration of such industries in Province 1 and Province 2 is 14 percent each while 11 percent of industries have been registered in  Gandaki Province and 7 percent in Far Western Province.

The small scale industries have been catagorised into eight different sections. Among them, manufacturing, agriculture and forestry, tourism and service sectors have the highest number of registered industries. 

The highest number of registered industries are service-oriented industries and the lowest is the IT industry. So far, 178,662 service-oriented industries have been registered. 

The department has included the registration from the fiscal year 2051/52 in this report. 

According to the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, such industries have contributed about 22 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) and there are more than 2.5 million entrepreneurs.