Construction of SAARC Handicraft Development Center Starts

December 6: The construction of SAARC Handicraft Development Center is scheduled to start on the current FY. The Center will be constructed on the initiation of Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN) with the assistance of Ministry of Industry and SAARC Handicraft Development Trust.

According to the Rishi Raj Subedi, Deputy Director of FHAN, the government has provided three ropanies of land in the premises of Department of Small and Cottage Industries at Tripureshwor for the construction of the Center. “The Center is being constructed for the promotion and development of handicrafts of SAARC nations,” he informs. He further added that the Center will serve as SAARC level handicraft design center.

The government will be providing Rs 150 million for the Center being constructed under its multi-year plan. As per Subedi, the government has decided to bear the entire amount spent on the construction of the centre. “Under the current FY's budget, Rs 50 million has been approved as seed capital,” he informed. Subedi informed that the government will provide the remaining amount on next FY's budget while the building is under-construction. As per him, the SAARC secretariat will also lend a hand in the construction of the center. FHAN is planning to conclude the construction work within two years.