“Various programmes are being implemented to improve child, maternal health status”

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government has been implementing various programmes through hospitals and health institutions under the jurisdiction of the federal, provincial and local governments for improving the child and maternal health status.

Replying to the queries of lawmakers in the House of Representatives today, he informed the House that a feasibility study is being conducted in collaboration of the Government of Nepal, the Thai International Cooperation Agency and UNFPA Nepal for the construction of a well-appointed ‘birthing hospital’ in Lumbini province.

“The construction works are being carried out as per the Lumbini Master Plan, which was approved in 1978 keeping in view the immense religious and tourism potential of the Lumbini region.

The government has been formulating and implementing an action plan for the sustainable operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in consultation with the concerned agencies. Concessions and incentive programmes such as discount on passenger service fee, ground handling, and on landing, parking and navigation fees have been brought into operation,” the PM said in reply to a question.

The Prime Minister informed that work is underway to operate the airport at full capacity in future.

“Currently, Al Jazeera, Fly Dubai, Air Asia and Nepal Airlines have been operating international flights from GBIA. Labor and Employment Office, Butwal has started issuing labor permits. Arrangements have been made to provide banking facilities including immigration, currency exchange at the airport itself.”

Earlier, PM Oli had said that the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, wheat and sugarcane crops has been fixed to encourage agricultural production.

He said homework was underway to move forward the agriculture modernization project with further modifications to increase agricultural production and move towards self-reliance.

PM Oli further said that these efforts of the government to control consumption-oriented imports and address the low export capacity and high trade deficit have resulted in an increase in total exports and improvement in export-import ratio during this period.

He said a team of Japanese experts with the technical support of the Japanese government was carrying out a study to prevent huge loss of lives and property every year due to floods in the Keshaliya, Budhikhola, Singiya and Lohandra rivers in Morang and Sunsari districts.

According to the Prime Minister, the concerned ministries are coordinating and doing homework with the province governments and local levels to select plans and programmes based on the need and demand in all the constituencies and include them in the annual budget and programmes for the next fiscal year.