KATHMANDU, Sept 29: Minister for Land Reform and Management Bikram Pandey has pledged to address the problems of freed Haliyas (bonded tillers).
"I will not let their hope for a change in their life end into disappointment. The government has prioritised the problems of the freed Haliyas, taking them as a problem of the state," he said.
Minister Pandey was speaking at an interaction organised in the capital today on 'the existing situation of freed Haliyas and the government's responsibility'.
Freed Haliyas are agitating, demanding that the government should come up with a substantive plan for their proper rehabilitation. The government declared emancipation of Haliya on September 5, 2008.
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Likewise, Chairman of the Discipline Commission of the CPN-UML Amrit Kumar Bohara stressed the need for treating the problems of the freed Haliyas as that of labourers. He also pointed out the need to address their problems.
Also, CPN (Maoist Centre) lawmaker Karna Bahadur BK was of the view of identifying genuine freed Haliyas and addressing their voices.
NC lawmaker Nar Bahadur Chand emphasised the need for collective commitment of all political parties to resolving problems facing freed Haliyas.
On the occasion, those contributing to the freed Haliyas movement including Kopila Nepali,
Ramesh Koli and Ishwor Sunar informed that Haliyas living in 12 districts of the far western and mid western Nepal are facing various types of problems.
A total of 19,059 families of freed Haliyas have been verified by the government and it has already floated an action plan to rehabilitate 8,888 freed Haliyas within two years in two phases. RSS
