Presenting the budget in the parliament on Tuesday, Minister for Finance Ram Sharan Mahat unveiled plan to increase telecommunication service charge by 1 percentage points. The amount thus collected will be deposited in 'Heritage Fund' under the National Reconstruction Fund. This will increase the ownership and contribution of Nepalis in the fund, according to Mahat.
The finance minister said that necessary provisions will be made so that Nepalis living abroad can also deposit their support into the fund.
Kerala Tourism’s first STREET project inaugurated in Maravanthu...
TOURISM
The government said that it will leave no stone unturned to make Nepal one of the top tourist destinations. For that, the government is implementing National Tourism Strategic Plan. It has allocated Rs 1.01 billion for tourism promotion and reconstruction of tourism infrastructures.
Similarly, the government has said it will carry out safety audit of quake-hit areas to assure domestic as well as foreign tourists that the areas that they are traveling are safe. Likewise, the government is launching a package to promote tourism in Karnali, upgrade airports in the region, provide tax exemption for hotels in Mugu and develop far-western region as a beautiful tourist destination.
The government will develop Pokhara, Lalitpur and Dharan as 'green cities'. It also plans to promote Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve to bring more tourists. The government also plans to improve habitat of wildlife species in Koshi Tappu and develop it as a bird-watching destination.
To strengthen national flag carrier, the government has said that it will start the process to add new aircraft and induct a strategic partner in the next fiscal year.
The government has also unveiled plans to upgrade airports outside the Valley and encourage domestic airlines to those airports to minimize pressure on Tribuvan International Airport (TIA). It has set aside Rs 1.75 billion for upgradation of TIA, and Rs 5.75 billion for upgradation and construction of airports outside the Valley.
Likewise, the government has allocated Rs 2.5 billion for construction of Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairahawa. Construction work is expect to complete within two years. Similarly, the government will begin distributing compensation for landowners and begin construction of Pokhara Regional International Airport in 2015/16.
HYDROPOWER
The government has allocated Rs 51.21 billion for electricity production, transmission and distribution in the next fiscal year. Similarly, the government has introduced a new provision named 'remit hydro' to use remittance in productive area. The government has said it will sign agreement for development of Tamakoshi III (800MW) and Marshyangdi (400 MW) hydropower projects in the next fiscal year. The government has allocated Rs 12.73 billion for construction of transmission lines. Similarly, it is establishing establish electricity trading company for trading of energy in domestic and international markets. The government has allocated Rs 450 million to install solar street lights in municipalities and solar system in urban areas. It has set aside Rs 4.85 to provide solar lights and portable metallic rocket stoves to quake-hit people.
AGRICULTURE
The government has said that it will introduce programs to provide irrigation facilities to all cultivable land within five years. Irrigation facilities will be provided in additional 28,300 hectares of land in the coming fiscal year. The government has allocated Rs 3.04 billion to implement medium-scale irrigation projects. The government will announce pocket areas in different parts of the country to increase production of major food crops like wheat, maize, millet and paddy, and provide storage and marketing facilities for farmers in such areas. Similarly, special program will be introduced to increase export of agricultural products by certifying, branding and registering them with World Trade Organization. Provisions have also been made to add 50 percent grant to VDCs producing 100 percent organic agro products. Likewise, the government has announced 100 percent interest subsidy for first five years to cooperatives and private firms willing to operate cold store and food storage center by fulfilling criteria prescribed by the Ministry of Agricultural Development. The government will provide technical assistance to such projects and offer 100 percent subsidy on electricity demand charge. The government has allocated Rs 26.68 billion for the development of agricultural sector.
IT AND COMMUNICATIONS
Minister Mahat said the government will introduce legal and institutional provisions to operate Rastriya Samachar Samiti in the public-private-partnership model and establish Public Service Broadcasting Service by merging Radio Nepal and Nepal Television.
Similarly, it has announced plan to open Krishna Prasad Bhattarai Mass Communication Academy to produce skilled workforce for the media industry. Respecting contribution of Nepali media houses during earthquake, the government has decided to waive off renewal fee and provide 50 percent discount on royalty fee for the current fiscal year.
