FHAN gets land for handicraft centre

The government has finally provided two ropanis of land in Tripureshwor to the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN) for the construction of a handicraft design and development centre. A recent Cabinet meeting had decided to provide FHAN with two ropanis of land for the construction of a handicraft design development centre on the premises of the Department of Cottage and Small Scale Industries, in Tripureshwor. “South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has also agreed to provide an assistance of Rs 240 million for construction and development work,“ said an official at FHAN. The association will receive the assistance under the SAARC Development Fund as soon as it develops and approves the pro ject work for the handicraft design development centre. FHAN, currently, has its handicraft emporium in Thamel. It has planned to establish a SAARC handicraft emporium and handicraft laboratory within the projected new building of Handicraft Design and Development Centre (HANDECEN). The design and development centre will be constructed once the SAARC Development Fund approves the project and provides FHAN with the estimated amount. HANDECEN is an autonomous entity, which was established by FHAN in collaboration with the government to develop quality products, create innovative products and venture into product diversification for the overall development of Nepali handicrafts. “The new design and development centre will look after the overall development of handicraft and will also provide laboratory facility and display centre,“ said president of FHAN Hem Ratna Shakya. Earlier, FHAN had urged the government to assist the project with Rs 2.5 million. It had also asked the government to provide around three ropanis of land. FHAN has also urged the government to allow a financial assistance of Rs 7.5 million to create new destinations. “Once we receive the estimated assistance from government we will start observing the new market trend in eastern Europe and also in Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa,“ said Shakya. According to Trade and Export Promotion Centre's data for the first 10 months of the current fiscal year total export of handicraft products increased by 24.2 per cent. Handicraft worth Rs 391.24 million were exported, while the figure in same period last year was Rs 315.09 million.