SURKHET: The Karnali provincial government has presented its policies and programs for the fiscal year 2025/26, introducing the slogan ‘Live in the village, build your future at home’ alongside broader goals for long-term prosperity and poverty alleviation.
Addressing the sixth session of the Provincial Assembly, Provincial Chief Najir Miya outlined the policy direction, emphasizing a vision of socialism-oriented development that integrates good governance, social justice, and prosperity. The plan links education to skills, skills to labor, labor to employment, and employment to poverty reduction, aiming to create a self-sustaining economic model.
The government aims to create jobs and eradicate poverty while enhancing coordination across federal, provincial, and local governments. Infrastructure development remains a top priority, alongside investments in quality education and healthcare to develop human capital.
Agriculture will be modernized, commercialized, mechanized, and diversified to promote food self-sufficiency and export growth. Special programs targeting industries, tourism, agriculture, and livestock sectors are expected to boost employment and economic prosperity.
The province will focus on rebuilding structures damaged by earthquakes and improving public service delivery to foster trust in government. Expenditure will be optimized by controlling administrative costs and increasing capital investment.
Karnali plans to promote Humla’s Simkot as a gateway to Mansarovar and Mount Kailash, developing integrated tourism infrastructure in the Kharpu–Simkot corridor. Meanwhile, the historic Ringmo settlement near Shey Phoksundo Lake will be developed as a center of Buddhist art and culture.
Under the slogan ‘Live in the village, build your future at home’, Karnali will implement land-use policies to ensure sustainable and productive use of land. This includes proper classification of land types, discouraging fragmentation, preventing haphazard urbanization, and supporting collective farming.
Barren lands will be brought into productive use through demand-driven, youth-focused programs in partnership with local governments and development agencies. Labor, skills, resources, and capital will be mobilized through cooperatives to promote productivity.
The province will enhance financial literacy and access in rural areas, emphasizing entrepreneurship through cooperatives. Agricultural cooperatives will be actively engaged in production and marketing. A campaign for healthy soil, healthy crops, and healthy lives will be launched in commercial agricultural zones to improve soil conditions and boost yields.
Karnali’s 2025/26 policy framework sets an ambitious course focused on self-reliant development, rural revitalization, and inclusive economic growth while maintaining strong coordination with all levels of government.
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