Hetauda, Aug 23: Hetauda Textile Industry has resumed trial production after 26 years, with 10 of its 488 weaving machines now operational following repairs. Another 10 machines are being prepared for production, while repair work on the remaining machines continues.
The Nepal Army’s Production Directorate, which is involved in the restoration, said three of the 10 operating machines have been converted to automatic systems. Other machines are also being repaired and modernised for automation.
Industry, Commerce and Supplies Minister Gaurikumari Yadav inspected the factory on Saturday and reviewed the trial production, machine repairs and modernisation work. She said the government aims to bring all 488 machines into operation and run the industry at full capacity.
Around 40 technicians and personnel from the Nepal Army are working on the revival project, along with two former industry employees and two textile technicians from Kathmandu. They are repairing machinery, restoring production lines and upgrading equipment.
Yadav rejected claims that the government was merely running a few machines for publicity. She said around Rs 3.3 million had been spent to repair 20 looms, compared with Rs 90 million spent during Baburam Bhattarai’s tenure as prime minister without restarting production.
She also warned that vested interests and middlemen could try to undermine the revival effort. She urged the public to support the industry and use its products, including sarees and other textiles.
The government is also working on securing a long-term supply of raw materials. Yadav said domestic cotton production would need to be expanded to support the industry.
Textile technician Raj Prasad Amatya said old shuttle looms were being converted into automatic systems. A shuttle loom can produce around 20 to 25 metres of fabric in eight hours, while an automatic machine can produce 65 to 70 metres, significantly increasing productivity.
Former employee Bhishma Prasad Lamsal, who has been associated with the industry since 1975, said proper maintenance could restore the old machines. “Machines never grow old, people do. Once the necessary parts are replaced, machines can work like new,” he said.
Industry Once Employed 1,200 People
Once one of Nepal’s major state-owned industries, Hetauda Textile Industry produced cotton yarn; plain, coloured, patterned and white fabrics; as well as textiles for the Nepal Army. It directly employed around 1,200 people.
The industry was shut down in 2000 after years of political instability, poor management, losses, strikes and operational problems.
The successful trial production, ongoing modernisation of old machinery and the government’s commitment to full-scale operation have raised hopes that the industry can regain its place in Nepal’s industrial sector.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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