The budget, presented by Finance Minister Surendra Pandey today at the parliament for the fiscal year of 2009/10, includes social welfare programmes. Some of them are new while others are continuation of earlier ones. Some were brought by CPN-UML-led nine-month government 11 years ago while others were introduced by the governments led by Nepali Congress and Unified CPN-Maoist. They include Peace campaign through

people’s initiativesLocal peace committees will be expanded to village-level in the forthcoming year for the enhancement of reconciliation and good wishes.

Ganeshman Singh peace movement To continue the NC-backed programme, budget has been allocated to fund subsistence allowance and scholarship for the injured and families of the martyrs of people’s movements.

Peace and security:

Expectations of people

A bio-metric smart card containing photos will be distributed to all Nepali citizens as a national identity card, which can also be used during elections. This card can be used for drawing social security allowances from any bank. A separate entity will be created at central level for managing implementation of such card system, registering and archiving the records of personal events, and for execution of social security programmes.

A separate bureau will be established to investigate into and analyse serious and organised crime to end impunity.

Social security and inclusive development The budget has been allocated for social security allowances being provided to the elderly citizens, single women, endangered ethnic groups and partially and fully handicapped individuals.

Health shelter for elderly citizensOne health shelter for elderly citizens in each of the five development regions will be established with the objective to provide appropriate care, medical treatment and attention to the conflict-affected elderly citizens. With a view to ensuring due respect to and security of the elderly nationals, the government has allocated budget for establishing “Pushpalal Sarjak Home” in Kathmandu.

Poverty alleviation

programme

The families living below poverty line will be provided with “State Privileged Identity Card”. The cardholders will be given privileged access to the health service, education and public supply system. The cardholders will have the first right to purchase subsidised goods to be sold by the government agencies.

Bisheshwor poor and women awareness programme

To encourage inter-cast marriages, the government will provide Rs 1 lakh to such couples within 30 days of marriage registration with the District Administration Office. To encourage widow re-marriage, the government will provide a grant of Rs 50,000 to such couples within 30 days of marriage registration with the District Administration Office.

Women development and

social empowerment

Home Development Program will be launched in Dang, Salyan, Banke, Bardiya, Surkhet, Jajarkot, Dailekh, Kailali, Darchula and Kanchanpur districts for economic and social empowerment of women from the Badi community. Rs 20 million has been earmarked to establish sheltering homes for women in 15 district headquarters after mid-October to ensure that they are not abused for the lack of shelter. Women who come to seek shelter there will be rehabilitated within 30 days.

Youth mobilization for nation buildingUnder “National Youth Mobilisation Programme”, volunteers will be widely mobilised in every village. They will assist the local people in the field of technical assistance in small infrastructure development, monitoring, health service, literacy, establishment of peace, enhancement of social harmony and awareness programmes. The government has allocated Rs 100 million for the same.

Sports for healthy life and national prideDue emphasis will be given for healthy, capable and disciplined citizens, and maintaining national identity at the international level.

Agriculture for subsistence to agriculture for sustainable development

Priority will be given to the implementation of long-term agriculture plan. Rs 8.6 billion has been allocated for the agriculture sector.

Cooperatives in villages and cities, employment in every household Facilities, including infrastructure building, technical service, fertiliser, seed subsidy and agro-machinery will be made available to the institutions affiliated to cooperative farming.

One man, one plant A massive public awareness campaign will be launched for the conservation and preservation of forests.

Green employment Opportunities will be created in rural areas through implementing forest entrepreneurship programmes based on community owned forest resources with special priority. The area of community forest and leasehold forest will be expanded. Forests will be commercialise by imparting technology to prepare briquette and timber through branches and forest waste to community forest user groups.

Labour and employment generation

The Self Employment Scheme dedicated to interested unemployed youths in undertaking activities in commercial agriculture, agro-industries or service sectors, will be continued with some amendments through providing non-collateral loans up to Rs 2 lakhs from the banks. Free vocational and technical training will be provided to such interested youths.

Loans will be provided from Self-employment Fund to 5,000 rickshaw-pullers to buy new or hired rickshaws.

Skill-oriented vocational training programmes will be launched under “Learn Skills

and Be Employed” to increase employment opportunities and

productivity of labourers.

Vocational and skill oriented training will be provided to 36,000 people based on the demands of the local, national and international labour market to enhance professional skills and capabilities. Technical School Leaving Certificate classes will be conducted for 6,000 persons.

Industrial poly-technical institutes will be established and operated in collaboration with private sector.

Our city, clean city

This programme will be initiated as a campaign for waste management in urban areas under the leadership of municipalities. Each urban dweller will be motivated to manage waste in own home. Arrangement to segregate the waste into different categories will be made. Awareness programs on solid waste management will be carried out in a massive way.

Aafno gaun afai banaun

The government has proposed Rs 7.83 billion for the distribution of the grant to each VDC on the basis of their respective population, cost and geographical area.

The government increased the grant amount to be provided to District Development Committees, Municipalities and Village Development Committees. The government allocated Rs 2.8 billion for this purpose.

Education, the fundamental right of people

Illiteracy eradication programme will be conducted to educate all Nepalis within two years. Education will be made qualitative, skill oriented and vocation oriented. All Nepalis will get an opportunity to complete their primary education in their mother tongue. Free education will be provided up to Class X. The literacy programme “Let’s be literate, enhance capacity,” targeted to make all Nepali literate will be implemented as a campaign with the participation of the local bodies, schools, teachers and local political parties.

Primary and basic health

service, fundamental right

of the people

The concept of “Health for All” will be implemented gradually

by making arrangements for

the physical infrastructure,

necessary manpower and

budget. Also, an arrangement

has been made for the

feasibility study to run the public health insurance programme. From 15 January 2010, an arrangement will be made to keep a visible sticker with names and addresses of the importers compulsorily and clearly on the retail package of the specified pesticides, drinks, medicines, and consumable food items.

Safe maternity, women’s right

The government has made an arrangement to provide allowances of Rs 400 to all mothers who visit of the maternity centres four times and fully utilise the pre maternity and post maternity services provided to them.

Our tax contribution for our own development and for the creation of modern and

prosperous Nepal

This slogan will be used to observe fiscal year 2009/10 as “Tax Compliance Year” for developing tax paying habits.

Improving social security and ethics Social security measures like old age pension and invalid pension have gradually been expanded. Social security tax may be levied after a proper survey.