Mahendranagar: A growing number of youths here have started engaging in enterprises with coronavirus pandemic subsiding. It is found that the youths who would otherwise go in hordes to India in search of seasonal work have created self-employment opportunities at home.

As a result, registration of enterprises has increased double than that of the last year as the youths have been found attracted towards agriculture, livestock and trade at the local level.

The Cottage and Small Industries Office Kanchanpur said registration of enterprises has surged compared to that of the last year. One thousand 538 industries have been registered with the Office in the seven months (until Magh) of the current fiscal year. Only 734 industries were registered at the Office in the last fiscal year, Office information officer Dharma nanda Bhatta said.

The number of people coming to the Office for registering enterprises had not decreased even during the coronavirus pandemic and the Office had resumed its regular works implementing the token system to provide smooth service to the service-seekers.

The number of applicants for registering enterprises might have also increased of late due to the provision of giving concession to women in the registration fees. “An enterprise once registered need not be renewed for five years. We have not yet monitored whether the registered enterprises are in operation or not,” Bhatta said.

Kanchanpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Janga Bahadur Malla said the state should encourage the youths who want to involve themselves in enterprises within the country by providing them special subsidy package as well as various skill-based and vocational training.

He emphasised that the state should bring programmes so that the youths will engaged in enterprises for the long term.

According to him, the growing interest of youths in vegetable farming in recent days has helped reduce vegetable import from India and other districts.