KATHMANDU, May 16: President Bidya Bhandari has said that the government will immediately issue a new political map incorporating Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura encroached upon by India.
While presenting the government's annual Policies and Programs at the joint session of parliament on Friday, President Bhandari also said that the government would make concrete diplomatic efforts to secure the Nepali territory encroached upon by the Indian side for the past several years.
"Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani are the territories of Nepal and a concrete diplomatic initiative shall be made to secure them. A new political map shall be issued by incorporating the missing land accordingly," reads the Policies and Programs document read out in parliament by President Bhandari.
This comes in the wake of the Indian side claiming that the territory lies on the Indian side of the border. The Indian side has even refused to sit for talks to resolve the dispute based on historical evidence including the Sugauli Treaty that defines the border between Nepal and India.
President Bhandari said that a program would be implemented to enhance the immunity power of the Nepalis by promoting nature-friendly salubrious lifestyle.
The government will take preventive and curative methods would be adopted in the health service. Stating that the government has provided basic health services with the construction of infrastructures at additional 2,626 local level wards where this service was not available. The government's policy and program states that the quality of the health institutions at the local levels would be improved in the coming fiscal year.
Civil society members unveil new political map of Nepal compris...
It also states that hospitals with minimum five beds and maximum 15 beds would be set up or upgraded at every local level based on geography and population. Similarly, it is stated that the primary emergency health service would be provided from central hospitals free of cost to the poor and underprivileged section of the population. Programs for the prevention, diagnosis, testing and treatment of diseases like hypertension, diabetes, cancer, asthma, kidney problem, liver condition and uterus-related diseases would be made effective throughout the country. Arrangements would also be made for examining the blood pressure, albumin and diabetes of citizens above 40 years old from the ward level service centers.
The government is to lay emphasis on sports infrastructure construction works in the fiscal year 2020/21. President said works on construction and upgrading of sports infrastructures would be continued at the national, State and local level in FY 2020/21. It is stated in the government's policy and program that the capacity of athletes would be enhanced enabling them to secure maximum medals by involving them in the international, national and regional level sports competitions.
It may be noted that Nepal had hosted the 13th South Asian Games in December last year. Nepal had clinched maximum 51 gold, 60 silver and 95 bronze medals so far in this sports competition. Similarly, the government's policy and program document states that upgrading and construction of well-equipped sports infrastructures would be continued at all the three levels. Similarly, works would be forwarded for establishing a high altitude sports training center. The government has adopted a policy of encouraging the construction of sports infrastructures at the initiation of the private sector. The government had allocated Rs 3 billion 990 million to the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the last fiscal year's budget.
The government will make the justice administration efficient and promote an accessible justice system. In its paper, the government stated that the government would implement the fourth five-year strategic plan of the judiciary and promote an accessible justice system.
"The remaining works of the peace process and transitional justice would be completed. Arrangements would be made for the medical treatment of people injured in course of the people's movement and the conflict period in the past and who need additional treatment. Provisions would be made for making technology, training and financial access available to provide employment and self-employment opportunities to the people injured and rendered physically handicapped in course of the past movements and conflict," the government's policy and programs states.
The government's policy and programs states that all the security bodies, including the Nepali Army, would be made professional, capable and highly motivated by providing the necessary resources, while the security personnel shall be made proficient by providing regular training. Similarly, it is also stated in the policy and programs that necessary preparations would be completed for operating the National Defence University and the production of military hardware would be increased at the national level.
It is stated that the 'national unification trail' would be conserved and protected. Likewise, the government's policy and programs document states that the National Planning Commission (NPC) would be centered on evaluation and research of development policies, programs and projects. It is stated that the national census, the national living standard measurement survey, industrial census and happiness survey would be conducted in the next year.
(With inputs from RSS)