The Lumbini Provincial Government has made public the policy and program for the upcoming fiscal year. Provincial Chief Krishna Bahadur Gharti Magar presented the policy and program for the fiscal year 2083/84 at the sixth meeting of the eighth session of the Provincial Assembly on Monday. The policy and program has put forward new plans focusing on good governance, economic prosperity and administrative reform.

The number of ministries will be reduced from 12 to 8

As part of the biggest administrative reform of the policy and program, the Lumbini Provincial Government has announced the restructuring of the currently existing 12 ministries. A policy has been taken to maintain only 8 ministries, including the Office of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers, from 1st July 2083. This step has been taken to make the government's work efficient, economical and effective.

One municipality, one organic crop

A provincial agricultural act is to be formulated for the modernization and commercialization of agriculture. For human health and nutritional security, a policy of one municipality, one organic-native crop production will be adopted in collaboration with the local level. Similarly, specialized resource centers will be established in various districts of the province to increase self-reliance in agricultural production. The policy and action plan states that the process of establishing a provincial horticulture resource center in Kapilvastu, a goat resource center in Arghakhanchi, a hill fruit resource center in Gulmi, a vegetable seed resource center in Pyuthan, and a potato seed resource center in Rukum East will be taken forward.

To improve the living standards of marginalized, poor, free Kamaiya, free Kamlahari, landless, Dalit and other communities, targeted community-specific agricultural programs including bagar farming, collective farming, and animal husbandry have been continued to increase employment and income generation.

With the main idea of ​​today's concession, tomorrow's prosperity, the easy loan and interest subsidy program will be further simplified and interest subsidy will be provided to the agricultural crop sector from the district office, and the buffalo promotion program has been continued to increase meat and dairy production in the areas around the postal route in the province.

It is mentioned that a feasibility study will be conducted to identify high-value crops including cardamom in potential areas within Lumbini Province around the Kaligandaki Corridor, Mid-Hill Highway, Madan Bhandari Highway, Saljhandi-Sandhikharka-Dhorpatan Road, Gorusinghe-Sandhikharka Road, Dang-Pyuthan Road, Chakchake-Rolpa Road, Shaheed Marg and East-West Highways.

Digital Lumbini and Entrepreneurial Lumbini Campaign

The provincial government is going to run the Entrepreneurial Lumbini and Digital Lumbini Campaign as a transformative program. Programs with technology and startup support will be introduced to attract youth who have returned from foreign employment to agriculture and other enterprises. The policy and program mentions that the program will be run first in Lumbini's Women: Entrepreneurship to make women economically empowered.

Integrated Tourism Digital Promotion

Promotion will be done through the integrated tourism digital platform to benefit from the Visit Nepal 2085 announced by the Nepal government. A new plan has been put forward to develop Lumbini, Swargadwari and Bardiya National Parks as a Silver Triangle for the development of tourism in the province. In addition, a base camp and trekking route will be built in Putha Himal, east of Rolpa and Rukum, for adventure tourism. It is mentioned that it will be developed as a religious and cultural path from Koilabas via Goraksharatnath Temple to Swargadwari, and it will be promoted as a religious circuit from Lumbini to Muktinath.

Infrastructure and social security

The policy and program mentions that the policy of "complete and complete" will be adopted to complete incomplete projects quickly in the infrastructure sector. The policy and program mentions that the intensive drinking water development program started by the provincial government will be implemented with high priority, and the policy and program has prioritized that the projects that have already completed 80 percent of their work will be completed with high priority while allocating budget in the drinking water sector.

It mentions that the construction work of the Rampur-Kapurkot road, which is a provincial pride project that includes the major economic centers of the hilly districts of Lumbini Province and connects Gandaki and Karnali Provinces, will be continued with high priority. The construction of suspension bridges will be prioritized, and technical assistance will be provided to the local level to build suspension bridges shorter than 120 meters.

Priority in health

Continuing the Safe Motherhood Campaign, free ambulance and air rescue services will be operated for pregnant women and newborns in remote areas. Priority will be given to the expansion of safe maternity services, rural ultrasound services and implementation of the population policy.

Yoga, meditation and mental health promotion programs will be taken forward under 'Nepal Health Year 2027'. The provincial government has stated that the major hospitals in the province will be upgraded, burn, dialysis, cancer and heart disease treatment services will be expanded, digital health information systems, mobile apps and community health records systems will be strengthened, Ayurveda and alternative medicine will be promoted, capacity development of health workers will be developed and incentive programs will be run in remote areas. In the health sector, Rapti Provincial Hospital will be upgraded to a 200-bed hospital, while burn treatment services will be expanded in Lumbini and Rapti Provincial Hospitals.