Unofficial Translation 

Right Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Right Honourable Chairperson of the National Assembly, 

Honourable Members of the Federal Parliament. 

1. Today I am addressing this joint session of both Houses of the Federal Parliament at a challenging and difficult time when the entire world is engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

2. I would like to offer sincere tribute to all known and unknown martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives in various movements for safeguarding of Nepal’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, national interest, self-esteem, democracy and livelihoods of the people. I express high esteem to the pioneers who led those movements and recall, once again, the great contribution they rendered for the transformation of Nepali society. 

3. The humanity is confronted with the greatest crisis of this century due to the pandemic of COVID-19. Existing health services and facilities appear inadequate to fight against this pandemic globally. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives due to the pandemic and hundreds of thousands more are infected. I offer deep condolences to the bereaved families of the Nepalis outside Nepal and the nationals of friendly countries who lost their lives having been infected of this pandemic. I wish for a speedy recovery of all sisters and brothers who are undergoing treatment. 

4. COVID-19 has profoundly hit the economies of all countries. World tourism and travel has disrupted. Enterprises and professions are mostly shut down. Production and distribution systems have been seriously impacted. Millions have lost employment. A great hurdle has been created in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

5. Today, the entire world is fighting a tough war against this common but invisible enemy. There is a widespread fear, concern, and confusion as to when will this must-be-won war end. There is a great need of solidarity, collaboration, self-confidence and optimism among human communities worldwide. 

6. The economic losses incurred by this pandemic can be compensated in the coming days, technology can continue to be invented and society can be prosperous again. However, the loss of precious human lives cannot be revived and compensated, and the loss of human capital, expertise, efficiency and ideas that accompany the human lives are also irreparable. Therefore, saving of human lives and protection of humanity has become the supreme duty of the Government at this moment. 

7. So far, we have been able to protect human lives in Nepal due to the adoption by the Government of clear strategy, coordinated working method and the unity, forbearance and cooperation of all Nepalis as soon as the infection of COVID-19 began. As we will need further precaution, coordination and unity in the coming days to contain the spread of infection and to achieve victory over this pandemic, I call upon all to engage in this endeavor in unity and resolutely. 

8. I highly admire all the public servants, including the doctors, nurses, health workers, security personnel, cleaning staff, ambulance drivers, who have rendered services from the frontlines in hazardous situation. I extend thanks to all individuals and organizations who have contributed to ease the supplies of essential items. I express sincere gratitude to all sisters and brothers for your full support and cooperation to the measures undertaken by the Government of Nepal to prevent and control COVID-19. 

9. I also extend thanks to federal, provincial and local level people’s representatives, political parties, private and professional sector, media and all those who have contributed in cash to the “Corona, Prevention, Control and Treatment Fund”. I am grateful to the cooperation of our friendly neighbours, other friendly countries, and development partners who have extended cooperation to us even when they themselves face a difficult situation of fighting against this worldwide pandemic. 

Honourable Members, 

10. The federal republican democracy is an achievement that we Nepali people obtained through the struggle of over seven decades. This is a system consolidated by the Constitution written by the representatives that the people themselves elected. 

11. The democracy we have adopted is a comprehensive democracy. The system we have chosen is competitive, multi-party, republican political system that encompasses all basic characteristics of democracy. 

12. Comprehensive democracy further strengthens national unity through social justice, equality, social harmony and prosperity. This Government is committed to the strengthening and development of democracy by addressing the aspirations and needs of the people according to their wishes. 

13. Our democracy has internalized such matters as political rights and freedoms, access to rights and opportunities, social justice and equality, secured and dignified life sans fear as different dimensions of democracy. Therefore, it has established the fact that sovereignty lies in the people and they are the real source of power. Thus, it is comprehensive and socialism-oriented. 

14. Policy continuity is ensured only in political stability. Policy continuity determines coherence in programmes and ensures their implementation. Therefore, political stability is extremely important for the long term and unhindered development of the country. 

15. People’s mandate is honoured only in political stability. This encourages political parties to play roles as per the popular mandate, enhances capacity of the leadership and makes them more concerned towards the country, people and the development. The test of leadership’s capacity and performance during the periodic elections motivates the leadership to be more accountable to the people. At the end, this will strengthen democratic system. 

16. For this Government, there is nothing greater than the land, nature, culture, self-esteem, pride and prosperity of Nepal and Nepali people. The Government has concentrated all its thoughts and deeds in total sincerity and in full capacity towards the protection, development and utilization of Nepali land, nature, culture and people; acceleration of overall development and enhancement of the honour, dignity, self-esteem, and pride of Nepali people. 

17. As per the commitment to the Nepali people, the present Government is marching ahead with strong will to fulfill the national aspiration of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali”. The goals and commitments put forward for the entire tenure of the present Government have gradually come into implementation through the policies and programmes of the previous two years. The vision of the Government is clear, destination is fixed, goals are set, policies and programmes are people-centered, and the implementation is result-oriented. 

18. The Government has been able to attain encouraging achievements in a short period of two years. The social development, physical progress and the progress recorded by Nepal in more than 14 world indicators are the results of policy continuity and effectiveness of the implementation. These achievements have laid strong foundation for the building of a prosperous Nepal. 

19. Stability has been maintained in the country after the formation of the present Government. The Constitution has come into full implementation. Necessary laws have been enacted for the implementation of fundamental rights and freedoms of the people, social protection and social justice, development, promotion of good governance and implementation of federalism. They have come into force. 

20. Federal, provincial and local levels have come into operation. Plan for all-round development of federal, provincial and local levels has been put into implementation in the spirit of coordination and cooperative federalism. Inter-provincial Council and Inter-Governmental Fiscal Council have been functional. 

21. Building administrative structure, human resource management and operation of business system of the provinces and local levels have been developed and put into implementation. Provincial and local levels have been ensured with necessary resources by implementation of scientific fiscal transfer system. The performance of the provinces and local levels in the fight against COVID-19 has illustrated the importance of those entities among the people. 

22. The Government is actively engaged from the very beginning in the prevention and control of COVID-19. By establishing a separate Fund for the mobilization of additional resources, the Government has arranged to deposit the amount received from the Government, private and other sectors in that Fund and spend it for the purpose. Arrangements have been made to ensure smooth supply of medicines, food and other essential consumer goods, including through government mechanism, during the lockdown. 

23. Targeted provision of incentives has been made for the industries and enterprises impacted by the pandemic and lockdown. Relief has been distributed through the local levels to the poor, helpless, and indigent families, those living on daily wages and those who have lost jobs due to COVID-19, lockdown or any other reasons. 

Honourable Members, 

24. Our sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, national interest, self-esteem and national unity have been strengthened. The Government is consistently engaged in strengthening of the fundamental pillars of democratic system, such as, federal democratic republic, multi-party competitive polity, separation of powers, independent judiciary, human rights, fundamental freedoms. 

25. The Government is committed to establish a peaceful, orderly, just, prosperous, civilized and cultured society by making available the opportunities of basic education, health, employment, social security and protection. 

26. The Government has developed and expanded foreign relations in a manner that protects and promotes national interests on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect and benefit, fulfillment of just bilateral, regional and international obligations by adhering to the Charter of the United Nations, non-alignment and five principles of peaceful co-existence. 

27.The Government is active in maintaining good governance by improving work culture of the public administration. In order to promote transparency and end state of unaccountability, necessary policy, legal and institutional improvements have been initiated. Peace and order have been maintained. Quality of public service delivery has been enhanced. By establishing the fact that anyone involved in corruption related activity would not get immunity from punishment, actions against corruption have been accelerated. The task for revival with modernity of the culture and civilization is moving ahead. 

28. The Government is determined to realize Sustainable Development Goals before 2030 and achieve the goal of attaining the status of a middle-income country. Economic and social development plans and programmes have been initiated to graduate from the LDC status within this tenure of the Government and to attain the level of a developed country by 2042. 

29. Our declared aspiration of transforming the landlocked Nepal into a land-linked country has been fulfilled. Construction of large infrastructure projects with modern technology, including road, railway, airport, drinking water and irrigation, has been rapidly moving ahead. The Government’s commitment to end the painful and perilous crossing by Tuins has been achieved. 

30. The policy of exploring, exploiting, processing and utilizing the mineral and petroleum products identified in different parts of the country has been initiated. The policies of producing 15 thousand megawatts of electricity in ten years, increasing domestic consumption, extension of transmission lines and strengthening of distribution system are under implementation. Infrastructures are being built for international trade of electricity. 

31. A large amount of investment is being made in agriculture infrastructure along with the plan of modernization and commercialization of agriculture in order to double the agricultural productivity in 10 years. Social protection programmes have been initiated to include all the Nepalis in the social security system. 

32. The measurement of living standard only on the basis of average of the statistics of income of prosperous and impoverished cannot reflect the real picture of prosperity, happiness and joy. Therefore, prosperity should not be measured only on the basis of gross domestic product or per capita income. The government believes that society should be upgraded from the bottom and importance should be given to human dignity and existence. 

33. This government is sensitive that no one should be left behind in society. In two years’ time, cities have been freed from street children, street people and beggars. Nepal has achieved a great success in uplifting Nepali civilization one more step in terms of availability and improvement in the use of toilets in South Asia. 

34. Performance contract and monitoring of the monitoring have been started for the effective implementation of works initiated through policy and programme in order to make the people empowered and capable. 

35. In the past two years, our economic growth was increasing rapidly with the goal of attaining double digits. Major indicators of socio-economic development were encouraging. While the Government was moving ahead on the impetus of these achievements, the country has now come under the grip of COVID-19 pandemic. It has created hurdles on the course of the Government to move ahead with its goals, plans and desired pace; our aspiration and speed of development has been impeded. The Government’s priorities have changed due to the pandemic. Now, our orientation will be towards health, education, employment and economic recovery. 

Honourable Members, 

36. To realize national aspiration of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ by addressing the adverse impacts of the pandemic in the overall socio-economic sectors, the Government of Nepal has formulated the policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2077/78 B.S.,taking into consideration the following strategic foundation and considerations:

a. Mobilize maximum internal resources keeping in view the prospects of changes in the global economic structure, decrease in income of countries and the possibility of changes in the capacity, prioritization and sectors of resource mobilization of our friendly countries and development partners; 

b. Make Nepal’s economy productive and strong to successfully manage the risks in a situation where most of the countries’ economic growth is likely to be in negative; 

c. Continue and accelerate economic activities, agricultural and industrial production, employment generation, productive sectors, development works and social life, while avoiding further damages in these sectors; 

d. Distribute equitably the economic gains and fruits of the development; 

e. Build a healthy, educated, just and progressive social life by implementing various programmes and ensuring quality service delivery in health, education, gender equality and other social and cultural sectors; 

f. Complete within the given time-frames and cost-estimates of the game-changer and other sectoral as well as national-level programmes and projects initiated by the Government for the overall and balanced development of the country; 

g. Reprioritize programmes and projects, check redundant and unproductive expenses, maintain fiscal discipline, concentrate investment in productive and employment generating sectors; 

h. Transform the risks of loss of foreign employment arising from contraction in international labour market into opportunities for employment creation within the country, development of a self-reliant economy, and strengthening of national capacity; 

i. Control corruption, improve service delivery, strengthen law and order and promote good governance; 

37. The Government’s foremost priority has been to get rid of COVID-19 from Nepal. The Government will implement and enforce health-awareness measures necessary to prevent the pandemic, expand the testing for infection; ensure adequate provisions and mobilization of medicines, equipment and health workers, including doctors. The Government is resolutely dedicated to create a situation where no one will lose life due to the pandemic within Nepal. 

38. The Government is studying the effects of the pandemic in all the sectors of the national life including social and economic. Based on the study, the Government will adopt the policy to further enhance the effectiveness of the state machineries to resume internal mobility and supply system, improve quality of health and education services, increase agriculture and industrial output and speed up development works. 

39. Special sectoral programmes will be launched by preparing additional post-COVID-19 strategies and action plan. Special programmes related to health, education, skill development training and employment generation will be implemented targeting the workers who have lost their jobs, small farmers, destitute, poor and indigent families. 

40. In case the pandemic unexpectedly continues, the Government, while taking additional effective measures to prevent it, will mobilize resources by re-prioritizing and readjusting the programmes. The Government will work with added resolve in its campaign to achieve the aspiration for ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ even in this adverse situation in which we have to fight this pandemic. 

Honourable Members, 

41. This Government will run programmes to ensure equitable access for all Nepali people to services for quality health, education, drinking water and sanitation. Necessary infrastructures will be developed to provide international standard education and medical treatment within the country. The Government will further reinforce the role of public sector in education and health services while providing incentives to the private sector to increase their investment. 

42. The Government will restructure the health sector in the next fiscal year with the objective of establishing and upgrading health institutions, developing infrastructures, provisioning of human resources and enhancing equitable access to services and increasing its quality. 

43. Building a healthy Nepal is the fundamental health policy of the Government. Preventive programmes will be launched to enhance immunity of the people by promoting nature-friendly and healthy life-style. Preventive and curative methods will be adopted in health services. 

44. The Government has declared availability of comprehensive immunization services in 671 local-level wards across the country. Such services will be made available in the remaining wards of all local-level governments in the next fiscal year. 

45. The Government has built infrastructures and ensured health services in additional 2626 wards of local governments where basic health services were not available. Quality of services of health institutions of ward-level local governments will be enhanced in the next fiscal year. Based on geography and population, a primary hospital will be established or upgraded up to the capacity of 5 to 15 beds in each local-level government. 

46. Existing district hospitals at provincial level will be upgraded up to the capacity 25 to 50 beds, and zonal hospitals will be upgraded to 200 bed general hospitals. 

47. The Government is expanding and upgrading specialized medical services available at Institutes of Health Sciences in Pokhara and Karnali; and the hospitals in Koshi, Narayani, Bharatpur, Bheri and Dadeldhura. These central-level hospitals will be developed as 500 bed specialist hospitals. 

48. In order to prevent, control and treat infectious diseases and to prepare and respondto health disasters management, well-equipped modern infectious disease hospitals with necessary laboratory testing facilities will be established one at central level at the capacity of 300 beds and one each at provincial level atthe minimum capacityof 50 beds. 

49. Primary level emergency health services from all central hospitals will be provided free of cost to the people from the poor and disadvantaged section. 

50. Health schemes aimed at prevention, diagnosis, testing, and treatment of diseases such as high-blood pressure, diabetics, cancer, asthma, kidney, liver and uterus prolapses will be made more effective country-wide. Provisions will be made at ward-level service centers to ensure medical screening of people above 40 years of age for blood pressure, albumin and diabetics. 

51. Ayurvedic, Yunani, Homeopathy and naturopathy treatment systems will be expanded and promoted. General public will be encouraged to adopt a healthy life-style incorporating yoga and physical exercises. Establishment of gym halls, wellness centers and yoga centers at local-level wards will be encouraged. 

52. Necessary provisions will be made to run an integrated ambulance services ensuring easy and simplified process for the public by dialing a three-digit number from anywhere in the country. Trauma centers will be expanded along the major highways. 

53. Liver transplant service has made operational at Tribhuban University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj. Nephrology and urology centers will be established in this hospital in the next fiscal year. These services will gradually be expanded to all provinces. 

54. Kanti Children’s Hospital will be developed as a center of excellence for higher studies in different disciplines of pediatrics. Institutional arrangements will be made for diagnosis, testing and treatment of children’s heart diseases at Manamohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center and Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center. Services at Paropakar Maternity and Gynecology Hospital will be further specialized. 

55. Provisions will be made for all medical colleges to give medical services, including surgical services, at least in one hospital in a district, and all medical institutions to conduct at least a one-day satellite clinic once in a month. Arrangements will be made for central hospitals to regularly run satellite hospital in designated place. 

56. Arrangements will be made at all hospitals for providing, to the extent possible, maximum health servicesduring disasters and epidemic situations. 

57. A separate Center for Disease Control will be established to prevent and control diseases. Another institute with the name of Food and Drug Administration will be created to test and regulate the quality including that of medicines, tools and equipment. National Health Accreditation Authority will be instituted to test and accredit quality of health institutes and health services. 

58. A sectoral integrated umbrella act will be formulated to make commission, academy, council, research center and hospitals in the health sector more economic, systematized and effective. 

59. Modern health desks and quarantine homes will be established at the international airport and major international border points. 

60. More than 2.7 million citizens have been covered by medical insurance under the Medical Insurance Programme run in 551 local governments. The programme will be expanded to cover all citizens within next three years. Additional services beyond the basic medical services will be gradually incorporated under the Medical Insurance Programme. 

61. Birendra Military Hospital will be upgraded with facilities to enable it to provide all kinds of treatments, including mass-casualty patients, in the event of emergency situation. 

Honourable Members, 

62. The education policy of this Government is to educate all Nepalis to be patriotic, optimistic towards future, civilized, cultured, qualified, competent, entrepreneurial, creative, and self-confident citizens. Sector-wise human resources will be developed by projecting the human resource need; keeping in view the opportunities available at national and international levels. National qualification framework will be implemented. 

63. Nepal will be declared a literate country within next fiscal year. 

64. Nepal is in need of adequate expert manpower in development works and social sector. In order to develop trained manpower, provisions will be made to provide higher education in the specialized subjects such as agriculture and forest, environment, science and technology, medicine, Ayurveda, tourism, engineering, artificial intelligence, tunnel technology and rock engineering, mining exploration, hydroelectricity and renewable energy. 

65. University’s teaching and learning process will be made research based. Science and technology related higher education will be made research oriented. Mechanism will be developed to ensure the quality of research. 

66. Necessary physical infrastructure for the establishment and operation of Madan Bhandari Science and Technology University will be taken forward expeditiously with a view to establish it as a university capable of carrying out study, teaching and research of international standard in science and technology within the country. 

67. The academic quality of the Tribhuwan University will be enhanced through structural and other necessary reforms. The curriculum of the University will be updated. All the research centres under this University will be strengthened and developed as specialized research centres. 

68. Necessary preparation will be completed for the establishment and operation of Madan Bhandari Techno-Industrial University and Yogmaya Ayurvedic University. 

69. Graduate youths will be mobilized throughout the country in development works and educational development activities through “know our own soil; build our own country” campaign. 

70. In the past two years, the two hundred and seventy thousand out-of- school children have been enrolled in the schools. All school-age children will be ensured to be enrolled in the school. "Let's bring the children to the school and retain them in study" programme will be made more effective to ensure completion of at least secondary level education. 

71. Physical infrastructure and learning facilities of the educational institutions will be improved through President Educational Reform Programme. Activities including scientific research, technology development and innovation, and incentives to the talents will be included in this programme. Investment will be enhanced by creating conducive environment for the development and expansion of new technology and knowledge creation. 

72. Public schools will be made as the centers of quality education. Campaign for the Public Schools Strengthening Decade (2076-85 B.S.) will be launched for the overall reforms of the public schools. Mapping of schools and educational institutions will be carried out to bring about adjustment based on geography and minimum student number. Qualified, competent and committed teachers will be supplied, developed and mobilized in the schools for quality education. 

73. Emphasis will be laid on the scientific teaching methods to make science education effective and interesting at the school level. Science study centers will be established. 

74. Technical education will be expanded to avoid the shortage of technical manpower. Technical and vocational education has been expanded in six hundred and seven local levels across Nepal. In three years, all community schools and vocational education centres will be developed as educational institutions equipped with necessary infrastructures. 

75. Subjects pertaining to Nepal's pride, culture, civilization, values and norms, fostering of national unity and the understanding of the duties of the citizens will be incorporated in school-level curricula. 

76. Local levels will be encouraged to launch early childhood programmes for the all-round development of children under five years of age. 

77. Arrangements will be made to impart online education through the production of e-learning materials. Information Technology laboratory and high-speed internet facilities will be made available in all public secondary schools and campuses. 

78. National Education Policy, 2076 and National Science and Innovation Policy, 2076 will be implemented by making timely amendments. 

Honourable Members, 

79. The fundamental labour policy of this government will be labour management that includes skilled workers, dignity of job, self-employment, fair wages and social protection. Healthy citizen, technology-based quality education, production-friendly fiscal system and entrepreneurial environment are the cornerstones of employment. The government will create massive employment opportunities through the development and utilization of these foundations. 

80. At a time when the domestic employment opportunities are scant, the global pandemic of covid-19 is likely to engender the risk of increasing number of unemployment in the country due to the contraction of employment opportunities at home and the possibility of the return of Nepalese migrant workers from abroad. The expected number of unemployed will be mobilized in the sectors of agriculture, large physical infrastructures, local infrastructures, small and medium enterprises, manufacturing industries, construction and services. 

81. The programmes of the Council for the Technical Education and Vocational Training as well as those of all agencies related to labour and skill development will be implemented in an integrated manner to address the shortage of skilled and qualified workers. Short-term mobile trainings will be conducted in all local levels as necessary. 

82. Start-up funds will be provided to the innovative youths and other entrepreneurs including the experienced and skilled enterprising youths who have returned from foreign employment to start their own businesses. Entrepreneurial activities will be tied to capacity development, technology transfer, financial access and marketization programmes. For this, the ongoing programmes will be restructured to expand them to all provinces. 

83. Educated unemployed youths will be encouraged to start businesses in their areas of studies wherever possible by providing project-based start-up funds even on the basis of their educational certificates and also by supporting in the project formulation. 

84. The Prime Minister Employment Programme will be implemented as a targeted campaign for the unemployed youths to create genuinely gainful employment while integrating it to the employment sectors, development of skilled and qualified manpower and employment related other programmes. 

85. Employment Service Centres have been established and Employment Management Information System has been operationalized in all local levels. By further developing this system, labour information bank containing the individual profile of workers will be established to enable the use of their skill and capacity. Local Employment Service Centre will assist in securing jobs by connecting the employers to the job seekers. 

86. Good labour relations will be developed between the employers and the workers’ organizations. Labour audit will be further streamlined through labour inspection system. Exploitation of labour in all forms will be eliminated. 

87. Social security and protection programmes run by different agencies and levels of the government will be executed in an integrated manner to makesecured, dignified and high quality life for all Nepali people. 

88. Social security will be made sustainable by strengthening the contribution-based social security system. The workers including those working in informal sectors, self-employed and foreign migrant workers will be included in the contribution-based social security system. 

89. Provision of social protection will be made by identifying the needy, physically incapacitated and destitute, persons with disability, women, children and people on the verge of extinction. 

90. By measuring the incidence of poverty in the country, the government will launch targeted programmes of employment creation and income generation for eradicating the poverty. Henceforth, "No one goes hungry, no one dies of hunger"in Nepal. This is the commitment of the government. 

91. The capital fund made available to community-level groups through different programmes and projects and the record of savings made by such groups will be updated by the local level. Such funds will be mobilized for employment creation, income generation and production-oriented activities. 

Honourable Members, 

92. Due to the policy and procedural reform initiatives of the present government, there has been significant improvement in doing business environment in Nepal. In the coming year, more foreign investment will be attracted in the productive sectors, including the big infrastructure projects. 

93. To intensify the pace of construction of physical infrastructures, enhance production and productivity and improve the public service delivery, base of investment will be reinforced by increasing the national income and savings. Internal revenue will be made the main source of public resources. The investments from public, private, cooperatives and community sectors will be channelized to production-oriented programmes and projects that yield high returns. 

94. Development projects will be completed within the stipulated time frame, cost ceiling and quality standard by improving overall project management. The ongoing programmes and projects will be re-structured and re-prioritized as deemed necessary. 

95. Capital and assets will be created by maintaining the quality of capital expenditures in the public sector. Austerity will be maintained in the current expenditure by reducing the redundant and unproductive expenses. 

96. Production system will be strengthened by launching business revival programmes. The areas of comparative advantages will be identified and promoted by strengthening production structure and supply system. Available natural resources, means and demographic dividend will be utilized in the productive sectors. 

97. Inter-governmental fiscal transfers will be tied to production, employment and results. The provincial and local governments will execute functions of development and service deliveries that do not conflict with the national programmes run by federal government and avoid duplication. 

Honourable Members, 

98. Under the Principle of Utilization advanced by the present government, policy of not allowing all available land of Nepal go waste and augmenting large quantity agricultural production through intensive farming method by making full use of cultivable land will be implemented. The government has provided chemical fertilizers, ensured supply and distribution of high-quality seeds and the expansion of irrigated land. During this period, there has been increase in the production of agricultural crops including paddy, wheat, corn, vegetable and potato. This has resulted in the improvement of food security situation. 

99. In the coming fiscal year, the government will lay emphasis on increasing productivity and production through further modernization, mechanization and specialization of the agriculture sector. The campaign of "let's consume domestic products, encourage internal production"will be launched. The policy of exporting processed food products will be adopted by establishing agro-processing industry. 

100. The government will develop agriculture and agro-based enterprises as the main sector of employment. Through its restructuring, the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project will be expanded all over Nepal as the principal transformative programme in the agriculture sector. Through this project, while increasing productivity based on national requirements and local feasibility, agricultural production will be increased in large quantity by way of cultivating one-crop at a place. This will increase the potentials of market for agricultural produces and its export. Other programmes on agro-production will be executed by avoiding duplication with this project. 

101. The task of enlisting every farmer will be started through local levels for the management of concessions and technical services/supports to be provided by the government in connection with agricultural production, processing and sale. 

102. Nepal Agriculture Research Council will be made result-oriented through its timely reforms. Special attention will be given to develop hybrid crops. Agriculture and Livestock Centre of Excellence will be developed in all Provinces through upgradation of existing structure of agriculture related research. Arrangement will be made for applied research on agriculture technology and livestock from these Centers with participation of farmers and handover the skill for production and its use. 

103. Research and promotion will be undertaken on the registration, productivity and multiple use of local foods, fruits, vegetables, livestock and fisheries. 

104. Agriculture shall be developed as an income generating, modern and dignified profession and a productive business. Women cooperative groups, semi-employed people within the country and the returnee youths from foreign employment shall be attracted towards agriculture. 

105. Government shall develop necessary infrastructures for agricultural production such as road, electricity, cold store, and collection and distribution centre. 

106. A policy will be adopted to provide subsidies-on-production to the genuine farmers in a simplified manner. Arrangements will be made to make available subsidized seeds, fertilizers and new technology to the farmers in timely manner. Subsidies for one purpose will be made available through one level or entity only. 

107. Farmers will be encouraged to produce nutritional and high value medicinal agricultural goods through optimum utilization of the nature’s blessings- the landscape, climate and biological diversity. 

108. The Government has the policy of ending the state of non-use of land. The programmes of planting and protecting fruits and other plants at public forest, margins of the roads and highways, river banks and un-utilized public lands will be carried out as a campaign. Ordinary farmers will be encouraged to plant pulses, vegetables, fruits and other plants in private barren lands, terraces and edges of the farms. Kitchen garden, balcony and vase farms will be promoted in urban areas. 

109. Organic farming will be encouraged. National and international marketing of organic agricultural products will be done through certification and brand promotion. By developing a production, processing and utilization chain of cotton, silk, wool and other different types of threads and fiber, commercial production and marketing will be facilitated. 

110. Regular soil test of agricultural land will be carried out. Soil testing laboratory will be expanded. Technical services will be provided to the farmers to cultivate in conformity with the type and quality of the soil and weathercondition and to use appropriate quantity of fertilizer, seeds and pesticides. Quality veterinary service will be expanded. Arrangements will be made to fetch technicians to the farms, gardens and sheds of the farmers to deliver agriculture and livestock related services. 

111. Arrangement will be made for marketing of agriculture products in a way that the farmers get due price against the cost of production. Minimum support price of major cereal crops will be fixed before their plantation. This will ensure savings of the farmers. 

112. The country has become self-reliant on chicken eggs. It is closer to self-reliance on milk, meat and fish. Market access of products has improved. Dairy development capacity has enhanced, and this will be further enhanced as necessary. New factories will be established to make use of other areas of diary production. 

113. By implementing breed-improvisation programmes, farmers will be encouraged for commercial farming of livestock of improved breeds. Nutritious animal feeds will be produced and promoted. Cultivation of grass and wide pasturelands will be developed for animal husbandry. Production of milk, meat, eggs and wool will be increased by the farming of yaks, sheep and goats in the Himalayan region and cows, buffalos, goats, pigs, and chickens in the mountainous and Terai regions. 

114. Quality control and regulation will be done relating to animal products with facilitation for their market management. Qualitative animal health service will be expanded. Vaccination programme against animal diseases will be carried out as a campaign. Quarantine and laboratory facilities will be strengthened and expanded to diagnose, prevent and control communicable animal diseases. 

115. The knowledge and skills of agriculture education will be encouraged to be utilized in agriculture work and increment of production. In coordination with academic and training institutions, technical manpower will be mobilized as a part of the curriculum or in the form of volunteers. 

116. Cereals will be kept in stores by arranging food storage house in all provinces and local levels. Seeds, genes, tools, technology, production, storage, preliminary processing, and marketization units will be developed at local levels in coordination and collaboration among the federal, provincial and local levels. The use of information technology for value chain of agro-products will be encouraged. Agriculture statistics of the federal, provincial and local levels will be updated through the development of integrated management information system. 

117. Maintenance of quality and regulation of food items will be made more effective. Legal arrangements will be made for the promotion of food hygiene. 

118. Risks on agriculture sector caused by climate change, impacts of diseases and natural disasters will be minimized. Investment in this sector will be protected through extension of insurance for livestock and farming as well as implementation of climate adaption programme. 

119. Land Bank will be established for the augmentation of commercial agriculture by utilizing agriculture lands with the fusion of land, capital and technology. Contractual and commercial farming, cooperative farming, collective farming or planting single variety of crop as coordinated by the community will be encouraged through the plotting of land. Contractual farming will be encouraged in the unutilized public land. The Government will increase production and create employment together by promoting such farming systems. 

120. Cooperative sector will be promoted for the increment of local products, employment creation and poverty alleviation. Cooperative institutions will be encouraged to be merged on the basis of their objectives and areas of work. 

Honourable Members, 

121. The present Government has adopted the policy of multi-use of forest by reducing environmental risks through conservation, massive afforestation and diversification. In the period of two years, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine small and cottage industries have been established. With the increase in the internal production, import of woods has been reduced by twenty percent. Communities have been managing forty percent of the forest of the nation with their increased role in forest management. 

122. The Government has attached high importance to the protection and development of forest and biological diversity. About forty million plants have been produced and distributed to farmers in two years. At the government level, afforestation has taken place in about seven thousand hectares of land along with the plantation of five million fruit plants. 

123. Next year, the Government will carry out forest-related programmes in such a way to promote afforestation suitable to the topography and environment, forest development and multiple use of forest. Agriculture forest will be extended so as to contribute to the multiple use of land, income generation and improvement in living standards and environment protection. 

124. Forests will be classified into natural, reserved or protected, community, private, planted public forest and agriculture forest. Forest for Prosperity programme will be implemented for sustainable scientific forest management and the development of forest-related industry. Necessary infrastructure will be developed and investment of the private sector will be attracted for the development and promotion of forest-related industry. 

125. Useful plants will be planted in places which are available and appropriate in public unutilized land, bushy areas and land without forest at the local level as a compensation for forest areas used by projects of national priority. 

126. Commercial farming of potential herbs will be encouraged in high Himalayas, mountains, gorges and plain lands in different parts of the country. Infrastructure for herbal processing industries will be developed in all provinces. Nepali herbs will be given a special branding and exported. 

127. National parks, wildlife reserves, conservation areas, Rara Lake, Phewa Lake and other lakes enlisted in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as well as botanical gardens will be protected, developed and promoted. 

128. Larger botanical gardens will be established and developed for the promotion of eco-tourism, conservation education, scientific research and local-level protection of plants. 

129. The government will stop exploitation of Chure region completely. Chure region protection and promotion works will be carried out in coordinated, effective and sustainable way, utilizing the experience of agencies involved in protection works. In the coming fiscal year, President Chure Region Protection Programme will be restructured with reforms in policy and legal and institutional aspects. 

130. Air pollution measurement centers have been established in twenty-nine places of the country. In the coming year, regional action plan and standards for air, sound and water pollution control will be implemented in major cities. Disaster management, adaptation to climate change and resilience management programmes will also be carried out. Model climate change adaptation programmes will be prepared and implemented at provincial and local levels. 

131. Special programmes will be carried out for the protection of Himalayas, which are the main source of water. Conservation of water resources, including river systems, will be done by protection of glacial lakes and glaciers and control of water-induced disasters. Cleaning works of the Himalayas will be given continuity. 

132. Biodiversity protection and promotion programmes will be launched. Development programmes and projects will be implemented maintaining a balance between environment and development. 

133. The Government will launch Clean Nepal campaign. Afforestation in cities will be made widespread with participation of the provinces and local levels in order to transform Kathmandu Valley, metropolitan cities and the capitals of provinces into green cities. Modern technology will be used for processing the garbage. Service Centres with water, toilet and other facilities will be encouraged to be operated in certain distance of the highways. 

134. The remaining works of land survey will be completed. Work of classification of land in accordance with the land-use law will be expedited. Land-use policy and law will be effectively executed on the basis of categorization of land. A campaign of “Classification of All Lands: Protection of Arable Land” will be launched. Land-use map and database of all local levels will be prepared within the next fiscal year. 

135. The Government is committed to transform the traditional land administration into modern digital system. House and land registration work based on information technology has commenced from one hundred eight Land Registration Offices all over the country. In the next fiscal year, all services will be delivered through online system by all Land Registration Offices. 

136. The Government has resettled twenty-eight thousand bonded labourers (Kamaiya). Land Problems Resolution Commission has started its work. Problems of land squatters and unorganized settlers will be resolved within the next three years. 

137. A campaign of “Initiatives and Awareness of Community: Protection of Government, Public and Guthi Land” will be launched in coordination with provinces, local levels and community for the protection and use by removing encroachment of government, public and Guthi land. 

Honourable Members, 

138. The Government will implement programmes in the industrial sector for the growth of industrial productivity and produces through the maximum utilization of available resources, means, capital, skill and technology. 

139. Protection and concession will be provided to industries that have high productivity, are export-oriented andcontribute to make the country self-reliant. The government investment will be increased for the development of infrastructure in industrial village, industrial estates and special economic zones. Industrial villages have been established in forty-five local levels in an integrated way by using local labour, skills, resources and means. Industrial villages will be expanded based on the local need and potentials. 

140. Industrial infrastructure will be created in Damak (Jhapa), Murtiya (Sarlahi), Mayurdhap (Makawanpur), Shaktikhor (Chitwan), Motipur (Rupandehi), Naubasta (Banke), Lamki (Kailali) and Daiji (Kanchanpur). The establishment of inter-country economic zones will be pushed forward in cooperation with the two neighbouring friendly countries. 

141. Closed and sick public industries and corporations will be revived to operate in their maximum capacity through appropriate management, procedure and process, including with the involvement of the private sector. 

142. Special encouragement will be given to those industries that are related to the processing of food, agriculture and forest-related produces, production of essential goods for the daily life, medicines and medical equipment, and those that use domestic raw materials. 

143. National Productivity and Economic Development Centre and Industrial Enterprises Development Institute will be restructured and operated as an integrated institution for the growth of productivity, production of industrial manpower, skill and capacity development, and promotion of industrial enterprises. This institution will promote knowledge-based business and run study, teaching, research and skill-oriented trainings in cooperation with universities for productivity and entrepreneurship. 

144. Micro, small, cottage and medium enterprises will be encouraged and expanded as a campaign by utilizing local resources and means as the foundation for development of agricultural and non-agricultural production, processing, employment generation, and local prosperity in coordination with provinces and local levels. 

145. The One-Stop Service Centre has started to provide all necessary services to the domestic and foreign investors from a single point. Necessary authorities will be provided to the Centre. The working system of this Centre will be made fully technology based. 

146. Company registration, renewal or cancellation process will be made easy and efficient by making the work procedure of the company administration decentralized, information technology based and automated. 

147. The quality of Nepali and imported goods and services will be determined through the enhancement of institutional capacity. Accreditation of Nepal standard certificate will be expanded. 

148. The Government has initiated the work of study and research of mines of the country. Dhaubadi Iron Company has been established in (Bardaghat Susta East). Experimentation of the iron has been completed for the commercial production. The production from Dhaubadi Iron Company will commence in the upcoming fiscal year following the completion of construction of physical infrastructure and installation of machines and equipment thereto. 

149. Petroleum exploration has started in ten places, including in Dailekh. In the coming fiscal year, exploration of petroleum will be completed in Dailekh and of phosphoresce in Bajhang and Baitadi. Processing and export of precious, valuable and semi-precious stones will be encouraged. Mine-based construction material industries will be brought into operation without causing environmental damage. 

150. International trade will be enhanced through the utilization of bilateral, regional and multilateral mechanisms. Utilization of preferential treatment available in the capacity of a least developed country will be maximized by emphasizing the production, processing and marketing of exportable goods and services. 

151. Export of Nepali products will be facilitated through overall review of Nepal-India treaties of transit and trade. Preferential trading agreements will be concluded with Bangladesh and Bhutan. Trade with the third countries will be expanded through Chinese ports by utilizing the transit facilities available from China. 

152. Costs of international trade will be reduced through the development and expansion of trade infrastructure. Construction of Integrated Check Post in Nepalgunj will be started in the coming fiscal year. Preliminary construction work of Special Trading Zone in Haraiya of Kailali and Dry Port in Kanjabhog of Dodhara-Chandani, Kanchanpur will be started in the coming fiscal year. Feasibility study and development of trade infrastructures will be carried out in Yari of Humla, Korala of Mustang, Kimanthanka of Sankhuwasabha and Olangchunggola of Taplejung. 

153. Four marine and three land ports of China are available for Nepal’s international trade. Necessary legal provision will be made for Operation and Management of Ports in the coming fiscal year. The dry port in Chobhar, Kathmandu, which is under-construction at present, will be brought into operation within two years. The dry port in Timure, Rasuwa, for which the construction began this year, will be completed within a year. 

154. Study of exportability and search of potential market for natural resource based exportable items, such as, water, stone and wood will be carried out. An Export House will be established and common trademark will be used for the producers of same products to reduce export costs. For the promotion and expansion of export trade, a master plan will be prepared for the entire trade sector. 

155. Monitoring of market will be done with active participation and coordination of all federal, province and local levels. Anyone involved in activities against the consumer interests will be brought to the justice. 

156. The record system of the commercial firms will be based on information technology. The Exim code will be made more simple and objective. 

157. Supply system will be reformed and storage capacity will be increased. The storage capacity of Food Management and Trade Company Limited and Salt Trading Limited will be increased so as to maintain a minimum balance of 1 lakh metric ton of food grains at the federal level and 30 thousand metric ton each at provincial level. 

158. To strengthen the internal distribution system and to address sudden obstruction in the supplies, a system will be developed to have an updated record of the production, supply and storage of the foodgrains in all province, district and local levels. 

159. The import of the food grains will be substituted by strengthening of internal distribution system of the consumable food grains and by changing the consumption pattern. To ensure the market for agriculture production, public granaries will be constructed with active participation of the private sector as well and developed as food banks. 

160. The petroleum pipeline from Motihari, India to Amlekhgunj, Nepal has come into operation recently. This has on the one hand reduced the cost of transportation of the petroleum products and on the other hand has helped in promoting the cleanliness of the environment. 

161. The pipeline will be expanded from Amlekhgunj to Lothar, Chitwan. The construction of another pipeline from Silguri, India to Charaali, Jhapa, Nepal will be initiated after the completion of the project study. Petroleum storage houses will be constructed in Chitwan, Jhapa and Sarlahi. Gas bottling plants will be initiated in Jhapa and Dhanusha. 

Honourable Members, 

162. The number of the inbound tourists has crossed 11 lakh for the last two consecutive years. Due to the COVID-19, we have been compelled to stop the Visit Nepal Year campaign initiated in 2020 with the aim of bringing 2 million tourists. 

163. This Government will implement the programmes for sustainable tourism, including its revival, after proper study of the impacts of COVID 19 as well as the external reasons. 

164. The runaway of Tribhuwan International Airport has been reconstructed after 40 years. This airport will be completely transformed into a boutique airport within next year. 

165. Gautam Buddha International Airport will come into operation from the coming fiscal year. Pokhara Regional International Airport will be completed within coming year and necessary preparation will be made for its operation. The construction of the Nijgadh International Airport will be started. 

166. Eight more domestic airports have been black-topped this year. At present, night flight and landing can be done from eight airports. In the coming year, two more domestic airports will be constructed and three runaways will be black-topped. Construction of domestic airports at Chuhandada of Terhathum and at an appropriate location of Kavrepalanchowk will be initiated. 

167. The development of hill station with all state of art facilitates and hotel and resort infrastructure with all services to the tourists will be encouraged in potential hilly and Himalayan areas. Big organic agriculture farms will be encouraged at local levels so as to develop forward linkages with the tourist hotels and resorts. 

168. Separate institutional arrangements will be brought into implementation for the regulatory and service delivery functions of the civil aviation sector. 

169. The five-thousand-capacity meditation center and auditorium in Lumbini will be operationalized after completing the construction. The concept of Greater Lumbini will be brought into implementation to enlarge the Lumbini area. Ramgram Master Plan will be implemented. The process to enlist Tilaurakot in world heritage site will be initiated. 

170. The Nepali languages, literatures, arts, cultures and heritages will be preserved. Copyright will be guaranteed. 

Honourable Members, 

171. Total ninety-one percent of Nepalis have access to basic drinking water facility. To ensure drinking water facility in the rural areas and during emergency and disaster situations, water ambulance service has been in operation in all seven provinces; and this service will be further expanded. 

172. In the next fiscal year, ninety-four percent of the population will be provided with the basic drinking water services. In next three years, all households will have the facility of drinking water with co-investment of federal, province and local levels. 

173. Implementation has been accelerated to bring water to Kathmandu from Melamchi Drinking Water Project. Construction of this project will be fully completed within next fiscal year. The second phase of the project will be initiated to bring additional water from Yangri and Larke rivers. 

174. For sustainable supply of clean drinking water, after having completed the comprehensive studies of general distribution system and reservoir-based drinking water projects based on the rivers, including Mahakali, Karnali, Babai and Koshi, will be implemented. 

175. A four-hundred and eleven kilometer of sewage system in 20 districts of Tarai Madhesh has been constructed. Awareness programmes and special programmes have been conducted for proper sanitation. Sanitation activities will be conducted with participation of the provincial and local levels. Sewage processing and management programmes will be implemented in major cities and urbanizing areas. 

Honourable Members, 

176. This government has accorded high priority to the development of physical infrastructure. Roads, energy, irrigation and urban infrastructures will be developed so as to make lives of the citizens comfortable, build the foundation for productive sector such as agriculture and industries, promote employment and contribute for high economic growth. 

177. New infrastructures will be built in the places devoid of essential infrastructure. The capacity enhancement, quality improvement, upgradation and timely maintenance of the existing infrastructure will be done. The infrastructure of the national importance will be built according to the international standard. For decreasing road accidents, basic infrastructures of road safety and beautification will be installed upon safety inspection while building and upgrading of the national highways. 

178. Three thousand six hundred and sixty-three kilometers of road has been black-topped after the present Government was formed. Three hundred and twenty-five bridges have been built across the country. Construction of 300 road bridges will be completed within next fiscal year. Black topping of the roads will be accelerated. 

179. To complete Madan Bhandari Highway within 5 years, 155 km road will be black-topped in the next fiscal year and construction of bridges and road will be started in Jhapa- Dharan section. 

180. The expansion of Narayangarh-Butwal section of the East west highway into four-lane has commenced. All section of the East west highway will be developed as four-lane expresses way. The expansion work of Narayangadh-Butwal and Kamala-Kanchanpur sections of the highway will be completed within three years. 

181. Construction work of Kathmandu- Terai Madhesh fast-track has started. This express way will be completed within three years. Construction of complex bridges and tunnel in the fast-track will be started in the next fiscal year. 

182. With the target of completing within three years, 300 kilometers of the Mid-hill Pushpalal Highway, 250 kilometers of Postal Highway and 90 kilometers of Kali Gandaki corridor of North-South Highway will be black-topped in the next fiscal year. The upgradation process of the Koshi and Karnali corridors will be started after completion of the opening of the track. 

183. The construction of Nagdhunga tunnel road has started. Construction of 1 kilometer out of total 2.68 kilometers of Nagdhunga- Naubise tunnel will be completed. Construction of tunnel in Siddhababa area of Butwal-Palpa section of Siddhartha Highway will be started. The tunnel construction of Betrawati-Syaphrubeshi, Tokha-Chhahare-GurgeBhangyang, Khutiya- Dipayal will be initiated. 

184. After having completed the up-gradation of Galchhi-Trishuli-Mailung road section, up-gradation of Mailung-Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi section of the road will be started. 

185. Work has progressed to bring into operation of railroad from Jayanagar, India to Bijalapur within this fiscal year. The detailed project report of the East -West Electric Railway construction has been prepared. The preliminary studies of Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railroad, Kathmandu metro, railroad linking important industrial and commercial areas of Nepal from the Indian borders and the railroads linking Kathmandu from China and India have been completed. 

186. The preliminary works of the construction of Rasuwagadhi-Kathmandu railway and Birgunj-Kathmandu railway will be started in the next fiscal year. The preliminary preparatory work of the East -West Electric Railway Project will be completed; and the construction of Kakarbhitta-Inaruwa section will be started. 

187. The public transportation service will be made easy, accessible, passenger-friendly, trust worthy, safe and cost effective. The electric transportation system will be encouraged. By establishing a public transportation authority, the management and regulation of the transportation system will be made more effective. 

188. Preparation has been made to move Nepal's own flag-carrier ship to the ocean via India's internal waterways. Legal arrangements will be made to operationalize the movement of Nepali ship for international trade from next fiscal year onward. 

189. Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali waterways will be developed so as to connect them with the internal waterways of India. Waterways transportation will be conducted in the Gandaki River within three years. For this, study will be carried out for connecting Gandaki River waterways with India's internal waterways for establishing terminal space at an appropriate place. 

190. Master plan will be developed and implemented for the construction of local level infrastructures. The construction works of the roads connecting provincial headquarters with the centers of local levels will be expedited. 

Honourable Members, 

191. This Government has initiated the construction work of the building for Federal Parliament. The construction work of this building will be completed within three years. The construction work of the conference halls with capacity of three-thousand people in Godavari of Lalitpur and one thousand and two hundred people in Butwal of Rupendehi district have come to the final phase. These conference halls will come into operation from the next fiscal year. Construction work of a five-thousand capacity modern permanent conference facility in Sano Thimi of Bhaktapur will be commenced. 

192. It is the policy of the Government that the settlement should not be there and will not be established in the places where it is difficult to build infrastructures, deliver services and the ones that are scattered and geographically unsafe. The translocation of such settlement will be expedited by developing safe, modern and integrated settlements with the opportunities for education, infrastructure and employment. 

193. Safe citizen housing programme will be expended in all districts in order to avail safe, cost effective and environment friendly housing to the people living in abject poverty, are highly marginalized and those in the verge of extinction and the urban poor. All private houses in the country with thatched roof will be replaced by the zinc-sheets within three years. 

194. The works will be initiated to develop four modern mini-cities in Kathmandu valley. The infrastructure will be built for the well managed urbanization in the appropriate areas which are connected to Kathmandu valley. 

195. The roads will be constructed in such a way that the urban services and amenities can be integrated and well managed. 

196. Preparatory works will begin for the construction of a national-level grand martyrs' park integrated with the archives, documentary and museum with the personal details of those personalities who made contributions to Nepal's nation building and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the revolution for democracy. 

197. The construction work of 495 thousands private houses damaged by the earthquake has been completed. Reconstruction works of the 402 out of 753 archeological heritages has been completed. Respectively 40 and 70 percent reconstruction works of the historical heritages of Dharahara and Ranipokhari has been completed. All remaining reconstruction works will be completed within upcoming fiscal year. 

198. Feasible and appropriate production center for the construction material will be assigned for the smooth supplies of such materials by making necessary policy and legal arrangements. Without causing the adverse impacts to the environment and erosion, arrangements will be made for the smooth supply of river-based construction materials. 

Honourable Members, 

199. Our effort for building illuminated Nepal has been materialized. This Government has freed Nepal from load-shading. The installed capacity of national power system has reached to 1,386 megawatts. The installed capacity of the electricity will be scaled up to 3,000 megawatts in the next fiscal year. 

200. The electricity service has been extended to additional 852 thousand households in the period of last two years. There will be full electrification in Bagmati, Gandaki, and province No. 2 and 5 within this year, and in province No.1, Karnali and Sudur Paschim province within two years. Electrification in the Himalayan and high mountain regions, where national grid or distribution system, is yet to reach, will be carried out by installing 200 solar mini-grids. 

201. Water resources will be utilized in a planned and multidimensional manner by developing an integrated water resources policy. Energy security will be ensured through enhancing energy production, energy-mix, energy efficiency and energy-trade. 

202. The electricity leakage has dropped by 7.6 percent in the last two years. Per capita power consumption has increased from 110 kilowatt hours to 260 kilowatt hours. Per capita power consumption will be raised to 350 kilowatt hours by the end of coming fiscal year. 

203. The construction of the upper Tamakoshi Hydropower project will be completed within coming fiscal year. Budhigandaki and West Seti hydropower projects will be pushed forward including by mobilizing the external resources. 

204. Construction works will be initiated after completing the studies of upper Arun, Tamakoshi-5, PhukotKarnali and Jagadulla hydro-power projects under 'Nepal's Water, People's Wallet programme. 

205. The construction works of the reservoir hydroelectricity projects of Tamor and Madi will be moved forward under public-private partnership model by completing studies. Likewise, construction works of Dudhkoshi reservoir hydropower project will be initiated. 

206. The project development works of the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project will be moved ahead by finalizing the detailed project report (DPR). 

207. The power distribution system will be made effective and reliable by strengthening, expanding and upgrading the domestic and cross-border power transmission line. 

208. Some 4,251-circuit kilometer transmission line with the capacity above 66 kV has been constructed throughout Nepal. The length of such transmission line will be raised to 5,730 circuit kilometers in the coming fiscal year. 

209. The construction works will be intensified of the ongoing above 66 kV Hetaunda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa, Hetaunda-Bharatpur-Bardaghat, Kaligandaki corridor, and Marsyangdi corridor power transmission lines. 

210. The construction works of Butwal-Kohalpur, Bheri corridor, Koshi corridor transmission lines will be initiated after completing studies. The construction of the new Butwal-Gorakhpur second cross-border transmission line will be moved ahead. 

211. Construction works of the Lapsiphedi-Ratmate-Hetauda and Lapsiphedi-Ratmate-Damauli-Butwal 400KV transmission line will be pushed forward. 

212. The electricity service will be expanded with the priority to make available the power necessary for irrigation and other agriculture works. 

213. Arrangement will be made for power trade with India and Bangladesh by establishing an access to their power markets. 

214. Charging stations will be established in the major highways in order to make the use of electric vehicles nationwide. 

215. Western main canal of the Sikta irrigation project will be brought into operation. Irrigation services will be expanded in 14,300 hectors of land while starting the generation of 4.7 megawatts of electricity by completing the construction of branch canal and power house of the Ranijamara-Kulariya irrigation project. 

216. Head works of Bheri-Babai diversion and the construction works of the powerhouse will be advanced. Irrigation service will be expanded to 7,500 hectors of additional land by expanding the western main and branch canals of Babai irrigation project. The expansion works of main canal of Mahakali irrigation project (third phase) and Praganna as well as Badkapath irrigation projects will be moved ahead. 

217. The construction of tunnel and head works of Sunkoshi-Marin diversion multi-purpose project will be initiated in the coming fiscal year so as to avail irrigation services to 122,000 hectors of land in Province No.2. 

218. Irrigation facility will be made available to the cultivable land of hilly and Himalayan region through integrated power and irrigation programme, also by utilizing solar powers. Irrigation facility will be expanded in additional 18,500 hectors of cultivable pocket areas of Terai-Madhesh by means of an appropriate mix of surface and ground water under Prosperous Terai-Madhesh Special Programme in the coming fiscal year. 

219. The implementation will be moved ahead on the basis of feasibility and priority after completing the studies of Tamor-Chisang, Madi-Dang, Kaligandaki-Tinau diversion projects. 

220. 1,070 kilometers of embankments has been constructed for river-training. Special river-training programmes will be conducted in Koshi, Kamala, Narayani, and Karnali rivers for saving human settlement, cultivable land and other heritages in the coming year. Local materials and bio-technology will be utilized in river-training. 

221. Triyuga river-training works will be pushed forward. Agricultural production will be enhanced and employment opportunity will be created in the land reclaimed from river. 

222. Weather radars will be launched in two additional places in the coming year for reducing the disaster risk to the people, property and infrastructure by timely dissemination of early warning of weather and flood. 

223. The flood and inundation problems occurring in the border region will be sustainably solved by making the bilateral mechanisms effective. The joint monitoring and inspection work of the affected areas will be made regular and effective. 

Honourable Members, 

224. Building digital Nepal with good governance by utilizing cutting-edge technology in the state system and service delivery works is the commitment of this Government. For this, the Government has brought Digital Nepal Framework, 2076 to implementation. Socio-economic transformation will be achieved by the use of digital technology in service delivery, productivity enhancement and production growth. 

225. In line with the objective of making all public services IT based, broad-band internet service has been availed in 431 local-level offices, 3,612 ward offices, 2,546 health centers and 2,948 community secondary schools through the country. Broad-band internet services will be made reliable and of high quality. 

226. In order to make internet service available easily, smoothly and simply, the infrastructure will be built and jointly-utilized in partnership with the service providers. 

227. The public service delivery will be made accessible and technology friendly by integrating and harmonizing the apps brought in use by the public agencies. Arrangements will be made for monitoring, grievance-handling and addressing the problems of the Government works through the integrated app. 

228. All public transactions will be made cashless within two years. Arrangements will be made to allow electronic payments among the individuals and in all other kinds of business transactions. 

229. In order to expand the telecommunication services, make available the broad-band internet service in the high Himalayan region and stop the fund outflow for the bandwidth payments, Nepal's own satellite will be established and brought into operation within two years. 

230. Security printing of excise duty sticker, postage sticker, land registration certificate and publicly important documents will be carried out through the establishment of security printing press. 

231. Legal and institutional reform shall be undertaken to promote the contribution of mass media in stability and development by making it dignified and professional. Journalist accident insurance and journalist career fund shall be mobilized for the welfare of media workers. 

232. Arrangements will be made to deliver citizenship certificates, passport and such other documents to the concerned destinations by post through restructuring of the postal service. 

233. Integrated national identity management information system (NID-MIS) shall be developed incorporating citizen’s personal and biometric details. National identity document bearing separate number shall be distributed to all the citizens within the coming three years. Services and facilities to be provided to the citizens by the state shall be linked to this system. Arrangement will be made for the online vital registration from all local levels within the next three years. 

234. Passport service delivery will be made more secure, technology based and high quality through the implementation of e-Passport. 

Honourable Members, 

235. Targeted programmes shall be made integrated and result-oriented through restructuring of government agencies and organizations involved in the programmes targeted to women, children, people with disability and senior citizens. Integrated Social Development Act will be formulated. 

236. Women empowerment will be achieved through entrepreneurship development, increment of financial access, technical cooperation and marketing of produced goods through the President Women Development Programme. Women entrepreneurship facilitation centers will be opened at all local levels. 

237. In the remote areas, air ambulance rescue service will be expanded with more facilities to the women in life-threatening conditions during their pregnancy or neonatal condition. 

238. Awareness programmes focusing on reducing the risks of violence against women and trafficking in persons will be conducted. For ending gender inequality and all types of ill-practices and customs, campaigns of social transformation will be launched in collaboration and coordination with the Provincial and Local levels. 

239. A national strategy regarding children will be formulated and implemented. In collaboration and coordination with the Provincial and Local levels, children who have been orphaned following death of their parents, those rendered helpless for other reasons or unaccompanied street children will be rescued and protected. 

240. The Government will give priority to the protection of incapacitated, destitute and helpless senior citizens. Aged care homes will be established with facility of medical treatment. With the participation of local bodies, senior citizen reunion centers will be managed and expanded with a view to transfer intergenerational knowledge, experiences and skills. 

241. For education, health, entertainment, sports, employment and income generation of people with disability, the special programme will be operationalized. 

242. People who are helpless, at health risks, stranded or the destitute will be provided with rescue, treatment and rehabilitation services. The Government will coordinate, cooperate and work with the individuals and institutions involved in these activities by honouring their contributions in this regard. 

Honourable Members, 

243. Capacity of the youth will be enhanced by establishing youth innovation centers in all Provinces. Scout and youth volunteers will be mobilized in such areas as health awareness, sanitation, disaster management, environmental protection and awareness against social ill-practices and superstitions. 

244. In the 13th South Asian Games held in Nepal, Nepal won 207 medals with 51 gold medals, its highest-ever achievement. The capacity of sports persons will be developed enabling them to continue such achievements in national, regional and international tournaments. 

245. The construction and upgradation of well-equipped sports infrastructure will receive continuity at the local, provincial and national levels. Works for the establishment of a high-altitude mountain sports training center will be initiated. Initiatives of the private sector for sports infrastructure development will be encouraged. 

Honourable Members, 

246. The present Government will resolutely adopt the values of effective governance such as rule of law, transparency, result-oriented management and accountability. By ensuring equitable access to public services, the quality and effectiveness of service delivery will be enhanced. A system that enables each citizen to develop his or her capacity and distributes opportunities to all on a merit basis will be implemented. 

247. Performance contracts will be made more effective by linking them to result indicators. Achievements to be made from the implementation of the policy and programmes will be reported and evaluated against the performance indicators. 

248. In keeping with zero tolerance policy against corruption, the Government will not tolerate any form of corruption at any level of governance. While strengthening surveillance, inquiry and investigation works, anyone involved in corruption, irregularity, unauthorized use and exploitation of government properties will be brought to justice. 

249. For the promotion of good governance and corruption control, an integrity system will be developed at the government, non-government and private sectors. A work culture that embraces commitment that ‘I will not commit corruption, I will not let a corruption happen, and I will work for the country and people honestly’ will be promoted. 

250. In order to further reinforce the financial crime control, the strategy and action plan to combat money laundering and terrorist financing (2019-24) will be effectively implemented. 

251. Good governance will be maintained in public procurement by ensuring its transparency, competitiveness and economy. Public procurement law will be amended. The profile of construction contractors will be updated covering their technical and economic caliber, status of past performances, quality of work and the number of contracts currently held. 

252. In the event of failure of performance in terms of time, cost and quality, the concerned officials awarding additional contracts without thorough evaluation of the contractors will be held responsible. Similarly, consultants will be held responsible for any faulty consultation. 

Honourable Members, 

253. Substantial improvement has been made in good governance, law and order and criminal investigation. Through the enhancement of capacity of security agencies the law and order situation has been improved that can be felt by all people. As a result, Nepal has been successful in keeping her rankings in the rule of law index and world peace index to second and third respectively, among SAARC countries. 

254. The Government will strengthen security arrangements so that citizens can enjoy their life and pursue professions or businesses in an environment free from fear. The Government is committed to the universal values of human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

255. Anyone involved in treason, disrupting national unity and social harmony and acting against the constitution and law will be brought to justice. Legal action will be taken in all circumstances against those involved in criminal activities including disrupting peace and security and spreading false rumours, hatred, terror and violence. Criminal investigation and prosecution will be made fact-based and scientific. 

256. Additional border outposts with requisite infrastructure and human resource will be established with a view to making border management effective. 

257. The immigration system will be modernized and made technology-friendly. Record of foreigners entering Nepal will be further managed. 

258. Physical infrastructure of prisons will be developed and management will be improved in coordination with Provinces. The labour and skills of prisoners will be utilized in productive sectors. 

259. For disaster preparedness, a system of identifying and minimizing risks, forecasting damages, and providing precautionary early warning will be developed. Necessary equipment will be stocked at all levels by setting up required infrastructures for disaster management. 

260. Search, rescue and relief works will be arranged in an integrated and coordinated manner involving the Federal, Provincial, Local levels as well as the private sector and communities. The remaining rehabilitation works will be expedited to benefit the affected people who are yet to be rehabilitated. Capacity of responsible agencies for disaster management will be developed. 

261. Delivery of Justice will be made prompt. Easily accessible justice system will be promoted. The fourth Five-Year Strategic Plan of the Judiciary will be implemented. 

262. The remaining task of the peace process and transitional justice will be completed. Those wounded during the previous people’s movements and the conflict period needing further treatment will be provided with necessary medical treatment. Those wounded and maimed during the movements and conflict will have access to technology, training and financing to provide them employment and self-employment opportunities. 

263. Security agencies including the Nepali Army will be provided necessary means and resources in order to maintain their efficiency, professionalism and high morale. The capacity of security personnel will be enhanced through regular training. 

264. Necessary preparation for the operationalisation of the National Defence University will be completed. The national capacity for production of defence equipment will be enhanced. The National Unification Trail will be protected and promoted. 

265. The National Planning Commission will be made to focus its attention on development policy, project evaluation and research. The National Census, Nepal living-standard Survey, Industrial Survey and Happiness Survey will be completed within the next year. 

Honourable Members, 

266. Nepal has maintained an effective, meaningful and dignified participation in important international forums. The Government’s independent and balanced foreign policy has enhanced the confidence and interest of international community in Nepal; it has augmented Nepal’s dignity. Due to the Government’s clear and mature policies, the level of trust, understanding and cooperation with the neighbouring countries has increased and the relations have taken new heights. The overall relationship with other friendly countries and the development partners has been further strengthened. 

267. Nepal’s relations with the friendly neighbouring countries have been strengthened by the visit of the President of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal in an interval of 23 years and the four incoming visits of the Prime Minister of India during a single term of office. My own visits to friendly countries China, Japan and Myanmar, and the visits of the Prime Minister to friendly countries India, China, Viet Nam, Cambodia, the United Kingdom, France and Costa Rica have further enriched Nepal’s foreign relations. During these visits, a number of important treaties and agreements aimed at promoting Nepal’s national interests, supporting the country’s development and prosperity drive, and expanding the areas of mutually beneficial cooperation have been concluded. 

268. Nepal’s foreign policy will be based on national interest, mutual benefit and respect, international commitments and obligations, and justice. Nepal’s international relations will be further strengthened by protecting the freedom, sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence; ensuring security of the borders; and protecting and promoting the rights and interests of Nepalis. 

269. The Government of Nepal is committed to protecting and safeguarding Nepal’s international borders. International boundary inspection task will be continued. As regards border related matters with the friendly country India, both longstanding issues and those occurring from time to time, will be resolved through diplomatic means on the basis of historical treaties, maps, facts and evidence. Lympiadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani areas belong to Nepal. Concrete diplomatic initiatives will be taken to acquire these territories. Accordingly, a map of Nepal will be issued incorporating these missing territories as well. 

270. Economic diplomacy will be conducted so as to contribute to Nepal’s socio-economic development. Nepal's diplomatic missions will be mobilised for the expansion of trade, enhancement of development cooperation and investment, development and transfer of technology, promotion of tourism, and for safe and dignified foreign employment. 

271. The knowledge and skills of the talented Nepalis living abroad and Non-resident Nepalis (NRN) will be utilized in the national development campaign. The capital and technology of the NRNs will be encouraged to utilize in Nepal’s development. 

272. The Sagarmatha Sambaad that was not possible to be convened due to the COVID-19 will be held at an appropriate time. 

Rt. Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Rt. Honourable Chairperson of the National Assembly, 

Honourable Members of the Federal Parliament, 

273. The Government of Nepal has proposed the Policies and Programmes for the fiscal year 2077-78 (2020-21) with the resolve to protecting the political and socio-economic achievements and enriching them further; promoting national interests; enhancing national pride, dignity and self-esteem; strengthening relations with the friendly neighbours and other friendly countries; preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic; and accelerating development and reconstruction works by reviving the social and economic sectors affected by the pandemic. 

274. With the successful implementation of the Policies and Programmes, a high rate of economic growth will be achieved; national capital will be increased; economic and social sectors will be revived by reducing the effects of the pandemic; and social justice with mutual respect and opportunities will be maintained, thereby contributing to materialize the national aspiration of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’. 

275. I express confidence that the Government will receive active support from all fronts for the implementation of these Policies and Programmes. 

276. Finally, I would like to sincerely thank all sisters and brothers including the political parties, civil servants, the private sector, cooperatives and community sectors, workers, civil society and the media who have contributed to the overall development of the country. I would also like to thank the friendly neighbours, other friendly countries, development partners and NRNs for their support in Nepal’s development. 

I thank you.