Agriculture in priority of policies, programmes and budget: PM Prachanda

Lalitpur / May 23: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said the government is to accord top priority to the agricultural sector in the budget for a new fiscal year in line with the government’s new policies and programmes.

In his address to a programme organised by the Konjyosom rural municipality today, the Prime Minister said the agricultural sector will highly benefit from the policies, programmes and budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

He said the growth in productivity and job creation are the priorities of the fresh policies and programmes. He said the third Investment Summit hosted by the government last month (April 28-29) concluded successfully and enthusiastically and a draft project was proposed for addressing the water need of the Kathmandu Valley people by fetching water from the local Thotne River.

“I am hopeful that the proposed project will secure foreign investment,” he said.

Hinting the potentiality of developing some wards in the rural municipality into new cities, the Prime Minister pledged a feasibility study in this regard in the days to come.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister unveiled three idols of Buddha suggesting varied forms of Buddha (Konjyosom) and it coincided with the 2568th Buddha Jayanti.

He said three roads in this area, namely Lele-Chandanpur, Nallu-Chaughare-Unyuchaur-Manikhel-Gotikhel and the Birkhedhara-Dalchoki-Sankhu-Ikudol, are in the process of developing as the ‘life line’ of south Lalitpur, and expressed the belief that with this the south Lalitpur will make a leap in its development.

Stating that Konjyosom is the place close to the Kathmandu Valley from where one can have an enthralling sight-seeing, PM Prachanda underscored on making income through the promotion of the rural economy and tourism. He added that tourism destinations like this in the rim of the federal capital have a special role in extending the duration of stay of tourists and earning foreign exchange.

The Prime Minister stated that this region has high potentiality in terms of agriculture, vegetable cultivation, dairy farming and milk and meat production, and the people of this area can take maximum benefit through the agriculture modernization, mechanization, diversification and marketization.

“Konjyosom rural municipality, which is inhabited by approximately 78 per cent Tamang community, has been named in the Tamang language, reflecting the local identity. This has contributed significantly to promoting the diverse culture within the rural municipality as well as in developing the region as a natural and cultural tourism destination,” PM Prachanda said.

He expressed the confidence that such constructive activities will also make qualitative contribution in the tourism promotion as well, besides establishing the identity and self-respect of the oppressed classes, castes and communities through the promotion of local language, art and culture.

Noting that the all the three tiers of the government – federal, provincial and local – have a role and contributed in the construction of the Konjyosom Statue, PM Prachanda said the three statues built with the joint investment and partnership of the three levels of government will also represent the historical value of this area.RSS