Special Economic Zones (Nepal)

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Special Economic Zones is a set of geographic areas inside Nepal that have been allocated to promote and diversify the export based industries. It was conceptualized by Nepal Government in 2013 and laws were formulated in 2016 in the form of Special Economic Zone Act (2016). The laws were subsequently revised in 2019. [1] The industries inside the Special Economic Zones are given various facilities and in return they have to commit to export a minimum of 60% of their production to the foreign market. [2]

Contents

Background

The trade deficit was gradually increasing in Nepal, which is the main reason for setting up the zones. [1]

In the eighth five-year plan (1992–97), Nepal formulated policies to reduce the deficit by introduction of various policies that would directly or indirectly help to promote exports and establishment of industries. These policies included environment, investment, transit and logistics, transport and trade facilitation. In 2000 AD, the first zone was established in Bhairahawa to manufacture mineral-based products and kitchen utensils. Later, an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) was established in Simara mainly to process garment. [3]

Key features

Locations

The zones are located in following areas: [3]

ProvinceLocationAllocated area (Bigha)
1Damak, Jhapa2600
MadheshMurtiha, Sarlahi1565
BagmatiMayurdhap, Makawanpur300
GandakiChyalingtar, Gorkha300
LumbiniMotipur (Rupendehi), Naubasta (Banke), Dharna and Laxmipur (Dang)1,877
KarnaliSurkhet1,000
Sudur PachhimDaiji, Kanchanpur900

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Zhongming, Zhu; Wangqiang, Zhang; Wei, Liu (2019). "Macroeconomic Update: Nepal (September 2019)".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "Six years on, Nepal's first economic zone struggles to find investors" . Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  3. 1 2 Gyanwali, Gokarna Prasad (2020). "Special Economic Zones (SEZ): Challenges and Opportunities in Nepal". Research Nepal Journal of Development Studies. 3 (2): 49–61. doi: 10.3126/rnjds.v3i2.34481 . ISSN   2631-2131. S2CID   234402940.
  4. "Special Economic Zone (First Amendment) Act 2075: A Review Neftake". NEF. 2019-05-22. Retrieved 2021-12-08.