A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, who also looks after the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD), took the decision to set out plans to renovate the physical structures and protect the boundaries of agriculture research farms.[break]
The farm research centers have been facing encroachment-related problems from security agencies - Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force - since the time of the Maoist insurgency.
Prabhakar Pathak, spokesperson of the MoAD, said the National Development Problems Resolution Committee meeting also decided to offer life insurance coverage and hazard allowance to lab technicians dealing with hazardous and radioactive chemicals.
Amid shortage of funds at Agriculture Inputs Company (AIC) to import chemical fertilizers, the meeting also took decision to immediately arrange additional budget to the state-owned enterprise to ensure smooth supply of fertilizers during the farming season.
Keeping in view hurdles faced during investigation works due to prolonged load shedding, the meeting also decided to provide regular power supply to the Agriculture Information and Communications Center, and Central Animal Diseases Investigation Laboratory, among other laboratories.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Bhattarai stressed on the need to promote agro products having comparative advantages for exports.
Deependra Bahadur Kshetry, vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), urged concerned officials to formulate policies that could create an environment to retain youths to pursue commercial farming in the country.
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