KATHMANDU, JULY 11

Minister of Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal said the government has prioritised management of population for the country’s development.

Delivering a message on the occasion of the 25th World Population Day today, Minister Dhakal claimed that Nepal had made progress in controlling population growth, improving reproductive health, discouraging and controlling child marriage, and promoting safe motherhood.

Population is the base for development and the country’s progress, he said, adding that the government had given proper attention to policy, plans and programmes on the multidimensional aspects of population and development.

He, however said, “Certain indicators of balanced distribution and effective management of population needed improvement. The government’s attention has been drawn towards developing well-managed settlements by building necessary infrastructure in order to stop internal migration.”

According to the minister, if the government ensured health, education, equality and employment for women, that will help make sustainable development possible. Nepal has recently recorded a total population at 30 million.

Of the total, 21.4 per cent is urban population.

Life expectancy in Nepal is 71.74 while around 23 infants die out of every 1,000, in a year.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 12, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.