CHITWAN, Dec 24: As rising power cuts add woes to the people and industrialists alike, entrepreneurs here have geared up to seek investment pledges for developing Sapta-Gandaki Hydropower Project (SGHP) when they gather for Chitwan Festival, one of the biggest trade and investment fairs of the country, in the second week of January, 2013.
“We have already taken initiatives to take SGHP forward,” said Dr Tilachandra Bhattarai, president of Chitwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI). He said the CCCI will formally feature the project and invite private sector to put its money in the project during the 10-day Chitwan Festival that starts from January 9.
SGHP, which has a capacity to produce 225 MW electricity, has been one of the most talked about projects among residents and entrepreneurs of Chitwan. However, it has been failing to attract investors´ attention.
“We will market the project in the best possible way during ´Invest mid-Nepal´ campaign at the sidelines of the festival,” said Dr Bhattarai.
Businessmen even disclosed to Republica that Jeeva Lamichhane, a non-resident Nepali who originally hails from Chitwan and a Japanese firm has shown interest in the project.
Should the project materialize, CCCI officials said Chitwan will be self-reliant on power.
Not just on SGHP, Dr Bhattarai said CCCI has taken an initiative to lure investment in all the districts of the mid-Nepal. “The government announced 2012/13 as the Investment Year, but did nothing. So, we have decided to lure investment in the region ourselves,” said Dr Bhattarai.
Under the campaign, CCCI has targeted to identify at least one potential investment project in each district of mid-Nepal and feature them to attract investment.
The projects that the CCCI has identified in its potential list include sectors like education, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing.
Construction of road linking Chitwan and Kathmandu-Hetauda Tunnel Road is one such project. Development of Nagarban – an islet on the Narayani River — as a tourism spot, development of a large tourism zone, mega health and education projects, commercialization of agriculture and poultry, among others are other projects incorporated in the list.
“Thirty-two chambers in mid-Nepal have so far listed 15 different projects for Invest mid-Nepal campaign,” said Uttam Lal Chuke, former president of CCCI.
Foreign and domestic investors, diplomats and others would be holding discussions on those and also other projects for three days of Invest mid-Nepal event.
Central Regional Industrial and Trade Fair too will be held simultaneously during the Chitwan Festival. The fair will give an opportunity to the local producers and service providers to showcase and sell their products and services.
CCCI, Ratnanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bharatpur and Ratnanagar municipalities are jointly organizing the festival. The organizers have said visitors can also enjoy cultural programs, boating on the Narayani River and heli-sightseeing during the festival.
The organizers have estimated that 425 stalls participating in the festival would do a business of more than Rs 250 million. They have set entrance fee at Rs 20 for students and Rs 40 for others.
Source : Republica
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चितवन, पुस ९- लोडसेडिङले सर्वसाधारणसँगै उद्योगी व्यवसायी मर्कामा परिरहेका बेला चितवनमा हाइड्रोपावरको योजना अघि बढेको छ। पुस अन्तिमसाता शुरु हुने चितवन महोत्सवले चितवनमै हाइड्रोपावर खोल्ने योजना सुर गर्न लागेको हो।
सात नदीको संगम देवघाटमा सप्तगण्डकी हाइड्रो पावर स्थापना गर्न लागिएको हो। देशलाई लोडसेडिङ मुक्त पार्न निजी क्षेत्रबाटै पहल गर्ने उद्देश्यले परियोजना ल्याउन लागेको उद्योग बाणिज्य संघ चितवनका अध्यक्ष तिलचन्द्र भट्टराईले बताए। ‘सरकारले लगानी वर्ष त घोषणा गर्यो तर केही गर्न सकिरहेको छैन् उनी भन्छन् यस्तोमा हामी निजीक्षेत्रले नै केही गर्ने आँट गरेका हौ’, उनले भने।
सप्तगण्डकी हाइड्रो पावर परियोजनाका बारेमा लामो समयदेखि चितवनमा छलफल भए पनि पूरा हुन सकेको थिएन्। तर चितवन महोत्सवले ल्याएको ईन्भेष्ट मिड नेपाल योजनामा लगानीकर्ताहरुलाई यसमा आकर्षण गर्न खोजिएको हो।
मध्यक्षेत्रको मुटु मानिने चितवनमा बन्ने यस हाइड्रोपावरले २ सय २५ मेगावाटको विजुली उत्पादन गर्न सक्ने सर्वेक्षण भैसकेको छ। यो क्षमतामा उत्पादन भए यसले अहिलेको लोडसेडिङ हट्ने दाबी भट्टराई गर्छन्। ‘देशकै २५ प्रतिशत विजुली यहीबाट धानिन्छ,उनी भन्छन्- ‘चितवन त बिजुलीमा आत्मनिर्भर नै बन्छ।’
देशमा लोडसेडिङ हटाउन कम्तिमा पनि पाँचसय मेगावाट विजुली हावश्यक रहेको प्राधिकरण स्रोतको दाबी छ। तथापी चोरी र फाल्तुका विजुली प्रयोग रोक्ने हो भने सप्तगण्डकी परियोजनापछि देशमा लोडसेडिङ नै नहुने चितवनका व्यवसायी बताउँछन्।
सप्तगण्डकी परियोजनामा लगानीका लागि चितवन निवासी एनआरएन जीवा लामिछाने र जापानी संस्थाले चासो देखाएका छन्। यी बाहेक इन्भेष्ट मिड नेपालले मध्यनेपालका हरेक जिल्लामा विकास परियोजना पुर्याउने तयारी गरेको छ। शिक्षा,पर्यटन,कृषी तथा उद्योगमा लगानी गर्न दातालाई आकर्षित बनाउने लक्ष्य इन्भेष्ट मिड नेपालको छ।
प्रस्तुति: नागरिक / चाँदनी हमाल
