Ask anyone why our country is lagging behind, and they will blame the political leaders. It's not just the political leaders, every single citizen is to be blamed

When the clock strikes 8 in the evening, most Nepali grown-ups, particularly males, sit in front of the TV, their entire focus on each word the newsreader utters. The youths complain their father must avoid watching the same news every day. Agitated by the youth's comments, fathers ask their sons to leave the room so that they can watch TV in peace. They can't afford to miss the news; they must have an idea about the country's current affairs.

Back in their room, the youths grab the phone and start scrolling the newsfeed on Facebook. The news and articles related to politics appear everywhere on their Facebook wall. Left without many options, they start playing games on the phone until the battery is dead. The youths don't pay heed to any current affairs, be it social or political.

By the time grown-ups finish watching the news, they are filled with agony and frustration. A deep realisation dawns on them: the country is heading nowhere near the path of prosperity.

The next morning, at the tea shop, grown-ups come up with solutions to every problem the country is going through. Over the countless cups of tea, they forecast what the prime minister will do the next day. Grown-ups believe they know everything. But the irony is that they can't figure out the right candidates and end up voting incapable leaders every time.

Ask anyone why our country is lagging behind, and they will blame the political leaders. The truth, however, is different. It's not just the political leaders, every single citizen is to be blamed. The country's youths are the biggest culprit.

They barely know anything about their nation's prospects, and think there is no future for them in the country. Once after passing high school, they picture themselves by the beaches of Australia, and eventually, they fly off there or to some other European country.

However, over the years, remittance has become the backbone of the Nepali economy. Remittance isn't a stable source of economic growth, and it doesn't promise sustainability.

What if the other countriesstop giving visas to the Nepalis? To achieve a sustainable economy we need to explore the natural resources that the country has. Majority of the countries that have achieved high economic growth have relied on their natural resources. For instance, most of the Gulf countries have become rich by exporting their oil.

And the potential sourceto lift our economy is agriculture and tourism, but we need huge manpower for that. We need the immigrant youths to come to Nepal. Isn't it their responsibility to capitalise on the resources of the country? On their rare return home, they notice puddles everywhere on the roads and end up cursing the political leaders. They talk about how the youths should take charge of the country now.

Similarly, majority of thewomen in Nepal still believe they are born to perform only the domestic chores. A lot of talk has been going on about women's empowerment, but the women are still unprivileged for some reason. This has to change. Everyone, including women and youths, must involve in generating income. Women must look forward to matching their steps withthe male population.

Normally, only male members contribute to the family income in our country.

If women's involvement were to increase, it will bring positive changes in the economy. Everyone needs to play their part in order to boost the economy.

And there are some sectors we can rely on for economic growth.

Nepal has been labelled as an agricultural country, and there's no doubt thatagro-based industries can bring about drastic change in the economy. Though the country is small, the diverse soil offers a wide range of products. Apples glisten in the Himalayan region, whereas paddy grows in the Tarai region.

Nepal with its huge water resources can make sure that there is irrigation.

From climate to soil, everything is favourable for agriculture in Nepal. What the government must do is allocate reasonable budget to invest in agriculture. Researchers who have been continuously working to standardise agriculture should be funded. Efforts should be made to lure the young generation towards the agricultural sector. Various college-level courses in Agriculture and Forestry have been introduced.

Lately, these courses have attracted a greater number of students, and it's a good sign. I have only been to Kushma twice. My first visit was when I was in eleventh grade and the next visit was a year ago. A year ago, during my trip to Kushma, I noticed a flock of tourists around the bungee jumping area. I was taken aback by the transformation.

When I had gone to Kushma for the first time during my vacation, I wished I had gone elsewhere. But lately, adventure sports has attracted tourists from all across the world, and now they have added other facilities apart from bungee jumping. Once, Parbat used to be a district which didn't lure visitors. Now, Parbat sees thousands of tourists daily.

Likewise, if every locality were to come up with innovative ideas and attract tourists, it will give a boost to the economy in many ways. The employment rate will also go up dramatically.

The local government must scout for areas or things that can attract tourists from across the world. Of late, homestays have been popular in the different villages of Nepal, which is a good sign. It's high time we started investing in the tourism sector to lift our economy.

To build a prosperous Nepal, all the citizens including those in power, must take the matter seriously.

Similarly, the culture of complaining more and working less must be uprooted if we are to put ourselves on the global map.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 24, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.