From agriculture, infrastructure development to culture preservation

KATHMANDU: MAY. 30 – The executive budget proposal of the federal government for the upcoming fiscal year 2022-23 has laid emphasis on the development of physical infrastructure and culture preservation among others in Gandaki State.

In the budget presented by Finance Minister Janardan Sharma in the joint session of the parliament on Sunday, the federal government has allocated a budget on different programmatic headings in the state.

Laying emphasis on agriculture production, the government has envisaged developing hilly districts of Gandaki State as apple production and processing centre.

While presenting the annual budget, Finance Minister Sharma said the government would advance the construction of a dry port at Korala in Mustang after first undertaking a feasibility study.

The government has also announced its support to the execution of the Gurung Indigenous Culture Preservation master plan. The budget speech has also mentioned that the government would facilitate the private sector in developing infrastructure for the Birethanti-Muktinath cable car as well as up-gradation of a road linking Muktinath and Upper Mustang.

The Minister also said that the Pokhara Airport would be brought to the full-fledged level of operation. Likewise, the government has also allocated a budget for the up-gradation of Balewa airport in Baglung so as to enhance the quality of and access to domestic aviation services.

The government has also announced to run a Trauma Centre at Devchuli in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East).

Among other programmes included in the budget proposal is the construction of a child correction home at Dhakaltar in Tanahun, Chitwan-Rampur-Pokhara fast track on private sector investment, a signature bridge over the Damauli-Madi river along the Prithvi Highway and a feasibility study on the operation of Tram in the Pokhara Valley. The government has also come up with a budget to develop a well-planned hilly city in Upper Manang, Lomanthang.

Similarly, the government has allocated a budget for the construction of an integrated building in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East) to ease and manage service delivery.

The budget has also envisaged a plan to lower the water level of Manang-based snow Lake so as to reduce the growing risk of Lake outbursts due to climate change.