Prez presents government’s policy and programme

Kathmandu, May 8

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari today presented the government’s policy and programme for the new fiscal that aims to provide additional relief to quake victims, generate employment, increase economic growth and hold election of local bodies before December.

“For private houses, in addition to a grant of Rs 200,000, soft loan of Rs. 300,000 will be provided without security under collective guarantee of house owners, and a soft loan of Rs 1.5 million in rural areas and Rs 2.5 million in the Kathmandu Valley will be provided with security,” the President said.

“One House, One Employment” programme will be implemented in earthquake affected areas and this will be gradually expanded to other sectors.

The National Reconstruction Authority will be mobilised to complete the construction of all private houses within two years and all structures damaged by the earthquake within five years.

Job and employment opportunities will be created in the reconstruction and new construction areas, along with the expansion of agriculture, tourism, industry and service sectors, states the document.

The dependence on foreign labour markets for employment will be gradually reduced by generating sufficient opportunities of employment and self-employment within the country.

Special programmes will be conducted by determining different parts of the country as the pocket areas of different food products, states the document.

In a nutshell

The government aims to ... 

  • Provide agricultural grant on the basis of work performance and productivity
  • Introduce Land Use Act for proper utilisation of land and sustainable development
  • Make policy, legal and procedural arrangements to attract domestic and foreign investors
  • Construct east-west electric railway
  • Explore the possibility of drilling petroleum products and gas within the country
  • Initiate work on Rasuwagadi-Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railway after preparation of detailed project report within two years
  • Develop ‘One city, One Identity’ for tourism and business
  • Make all levels of education free for children from Dalit and marginalised communities
  • Arrange concessional loan facility for bright students studying science, technology and vocational subjects
  • Ensure health insurance for senior citizens
  • Build 20,000 houses for Dalits and endangered and the poor sections of society in the next fiscal
  • Make 50,000 youths self-employed every year through Youth Self-Employment Programme
  • Develop Nepal’s own satellites for TV and radios
  • Strengthen relations with India and China