BIDUR, NUWAKOT: Gyanu Tamang of Kimtang at Myagang Rural Municipality-4 in the district has found her calling in a handicraft industry.
She has been running a ‘handicraft Dhaka bag industry’ at Bidur Municipality-9 since 2072 BS. In search of a market for her products, she booked a stall at every single fair organised in the district. “I am further encouraged to run my industry with income from the sales of my products at fairs,” she said.
In the initial days, she created Rs 100,000 to Rs 150,000 in income a month from the industry. But now, her income has dropped to Rs 50,000 a month due to various reasons.
“I have got a huge relief to run my industry with income from fairs. Dhaka bag in particular has got a market in local festivals,” she shared while recalling her past time wherein she weaved and finished bags the whole night for a fair.
She is also running a ‘Gyanu Candy Industry’ at Bidur Municipality-12. Local fairs have helped establish Tamang as an entrepreneur, she said.
“In the early days of the establishment of the industry, I found it difficult to even recover my investment due to a lack of the market. But gradually, local festivals have given me a chance to find the market. Customers have asked me to display my products during even small events. There is not the market problem. I am finding it hard to meet increasing demand for my products,” she said.
Rajani Thapa has also been running a cushion and toy industry in the locality. She has got a market for her products. Apart from running the industry, she has been providing income generating training.
“My products were on display at every fair in the district. The business is happening. Festivals encourage entrepreneurs like me,” she said.
Meanwhile, preparations for the seventh Nuwakot festival have been intensified. The slogan for the festival is ‘preservation of religious historic art culture; commercial promotion for sustainable economic development’.
Organized by the Nuwakot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the festival is scheduled for February 10-22 that aims to attract foreign investment by creating investment friendly atmosphere for the economic development of the district, said the, Chamber’s Nuwakot President Tara Bahadur Karki.
A main organizing committee and various 30 sub-committees have been formed for the fair taking place at Pipaltar of Bidur Municipality-5.
Co-organizers of the festival are the district coordination committee, Nuwakot and all 12 local levels in the district.
The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Nepal Tourism Board have promoted it, said Sabin Rajbhandari, the coordinator of the publicity management subcommittee.
For the whole management of the fair, an agreement has been reached with the Narayani Fair Exhibition Nepal, he said. There will be around 300 stalls set up, while senior citizens, persons with disabilities and helpless people will get discount on entry fee. Transactions from the fair are estimated to be Rs 200 million, he said.
Around 700,000 visitors to the festival are expected, and approximately Rs 2 million in incomes, said Dinesh Kumar Shrestha, treasurer of the Nuwakot Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Comment