KATHMANDU: The government on Friday unveiled its policies and programs for the fiscal year 2020/21 with a focus on mobilizing resources for the agricultural revolution to create employment and plans to revive the economy which has been weakened due to COVID-19 pandemic among others.

As per the constitutional provision, President Bidya Devi Bhandari presented the government’s policies and programs for the next fiscal year at the joint session of the House of Representatives and National Assembly.

At the beginning of the address, President Bhandari said that COVID 19 has caused a serious impact on the economy in all countries.

President Bhandari said that the tourism, industry, production and distribution system of the world including Nepal has been affected, adding it will create a terrible situation of unemployment.

President Bhandari said that the whole world is fighting a common but invisible enemy, the coronavirus.

President Bhandari added that the first priority of the government is a coronavirus-free Nepal.

Presenting the government’s policy and program for the coming fiscal year in the parliament, President Bhandari said that it has been assessed that the economy could contract in Nepal and other countries due to the coronavirus epidemic.

She said that the government has a policy and program to make the economy productive, prevent damage to social life, establish a healthy, educated and dynamic social life in the field of health education and complete the transformational project started by the government on time.

President Bhandari said the first priority of the government was to curb wasteful spending, maintain financial discipline, invest to end unemployment, provide employment at home to those who have lost foreign employment, control corruption and promote good governance, and make Nepal a coronavirus-free country.

While presenting the policies and programs, President Bhandari said that the government has achieved enthusiastic achievements in the period of two years.

“Social development, infrastructural progress and progress made by Nepal in different 14 global indicators are the result of the continuation of the policies and effectiveness of the programs. These achievements have laid a strong foundation for prosperous Nepal,” President Bhandari said reading aloud the policies and programs.

The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP)-led govt launched the policies and policies for the third time.

The policies and program also mention the issues of some big development projects that will help in economic mobilization.

Among them, large irrigation projects that help agriculture have been given priority. Irrigation projects like Sikta, Rani Jamara, Bheri Babai diversion, Sunkoshi-Marine diversion are also included in the policies and program.

Similarly, the policies and program also include a plan to continue the work of Pokhara Regional Airport, Gautam Buddha International Airport and the second international airport being constructed in Nijgadjh.

Coronavirus-free country: Govt’s priority

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that the first priority of the government is a coronavirus-free Nepal.

Presenting the government’s policy and program for the coming fiscal year in the parliament on Friday, President Bhandari said that it has been assessed that the economy could contract in Nepal and other countries due to the coronavirus epidemic.

She said that the government has a policy and program to make the economy productive, prevent damage to social life, establish a healthy, educated and dynamic social life in the field of health education and complete the transformational project started by the government on time.

President Bhandari said the first priority of the government was to curb wasteful spending, maintain financial discipline, invest to end unemployment, provide employment at home to those who have lost foreign employment, control corruption and promote good governance, and make Nepal a coronavirus-free country.

Health desks at airports, border checkpoints

The government plans to set up health desks at national and international airports and border checkpoints.

President Bhandari said that Rs 300 million would be allocated for the establishment of health desks at national and international airports and border checkpoints.

500-bed special hospitals in all provinces

The government has announced to build 500-bed special hospitals in all the provinces of the country.

President Bhandari announced a program to upgrade seven hospitals in all the provinces to special hospitals with 500 beds.

According to the announced program, Pokhara Institute of Health Sciences in Gandaki and Karnali Institute of Health Sciences in Jumla will be upgraded to 500-bed specialist hospitals.

Similarly, Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar of Province 1, Narayani Hospital in Birgunj of Province 2, Bharatpur Hospital of Chitwan in Bagmati Province, Bheri Hospital in Banke of Province 5 and Dadeldhura Hospital of Far-Western Province will be upgraded to 500-bed hospitals.

Likewise, it has been announced that the district hospitals at the province level will be upgraded to 25 to 50 beds and zonal hospitals to 200 beds general hospitals.

To enroll 270,000 children in schools

The government has set a target of enrolling 270,000 children in schools in this year’s academic session.

Similarly, the government plans to expand new technology and knowledge in the Presidential Educational Reform Program, President said.

It has been said that arrangements will be made for qualified teachers who are interested in the teaching profession to make public schools and education quality.

For that, so far, 607 technical education schools are operating at the local level in Nepal. The government plans to operate it at all local levels in the next three years.

Construction of Birgunj-Kathmandu, Rasuwagadhi-Kathmandu railways

The government has announced to start the preliminary work of construction of Birgunj-Kathmandu and Rasuwagadhi-Kathmandu railways in the coming fiscal year.

President Bhandari said preliminary work will be started now as the initial study report has been received. In addition, President Bhandari has announced to start the construction of the Inaruwa section of East-West Electric Railway.

She also claimed that the Janakpur railway will be operational from the next fiscal year.

Four satellite cities to be developed

The government is to construct four satellite cities inside the Kathmandu Valley.

President Bhandari said that four satellite cities will be constructed inside the Valley in the fiscal year 2020/2021.

Construction of Nijgadh Int’l Airport

The government has announced to operate the international airport under construction in Bhairahawa within the next fiscal year.

President Bhandari said that the Pokhara airport will be operational in 2021.

She has announced that the construction of an international airport at Nijgadjh in Bara will start from this year and an internal airport will be built at a suitable place in Kavre.

Drinking water access to all households in next 3 yrs

The government has set a target of providing drinking water to all households within the next three years.

Claiming that drinking water is now accessible to 91 percent Nepali citizens, the government has stated that it will supply drinking water to 100 percent Nepali households within three years.

Drinking water would be provided to 94 percent of households in the coming fiscal year. Similarly, the government has stated that the Melamchi Drinking Water Project will be completed within the next fiscal year.

The second phase of other drinking water projects will also be started, according to policy and programs.