PATAN: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has committed to addressing the development needs of Mahankal, a remote area in Lalitpur district, by incorporating them into the policy and programs for the upcoming fiscal year.

He emphasized boosting agriculture and religious tourism in the region.

PM Dahal made these remarks while inaugurating the Bagmati Province-level inter-municipality volleyball competition held in memory of Prakash Dahal.

The tournament, organized by the Pragya Memorial Foundation, commenced at Mahankal Rural Municipality, Lalitpur.

“I have recognized that despite being located in the Kathmandu Valley, this area has been neglected in terms of development.

It is crucial to expand the road network to ensure that Kathmandu is accessible within an hour,” he stated, adding that the upcoming budget would prioritize road expansion.

Furthermore, he assured that the federal government would take the initiative to declare Mahankal Rural Municipality as a tourist destination.

The Prime Minister also recalled that volleyball was declared the national sport of Nepal during his second term as PM, urging players to compete with discipline.

During the event, Mahankal Rural Municipality Chairperson Ganesh Bahadur KC urged the PM to positively intervene in the budget to promote religious tourism sites in the rural municipality, which is home to Baitarnidham, Kaleshwor Mahadev Temple, Longtong Stupa, and Simba Waterfall.

Likewise, Dolma Maya Gole, coordinator of the competition, expressed confidence that the sport would contribute to opening doors for development and promoting agriculture and religious tourism in the area.

In the inaugural match held at Mahankal Secondary School in Mahankal Rural Municipality, Mahankal Rural Municipality A and Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City of Makawanpur are competing.

A total of 17 teams are participating in the competition.

The winning team will receive a cash prize of Rs 300,000, while the runners-up will get Rs 200,000, and the two teams finishing third will receive Rs 100,000 each.

Additionally, the top players and coaches will be awarded Rs 50,000 each.

The Nepal Volleyball Association has provided technical assistance to the competition, supported by the National Sports Council and the Bagmati Province Sports Development Council.

The Lalitpur District Sports Development Committee is the co-organizer of the event.

RSS