Nepal

Kathmandu, May 29

The government in its budget for the fiscal 2019-2020, has prioritised economic diplomacy besides emphasising issues of national security, Nepaldignified presence in international arena and catastrophe management.

Presenting the budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 nowadays, Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada said economic diplomacy shall be aimed at boosting international cooperation in the areas of development assistance, trade, investment, labour, and tourism promotion.

According to the budget, Nepalforeign policy shall be based on national interest, mutual benefit and respect, international commitment and responsibility, and justice. &National pride shall be boosted in the international arena ensuring independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom and national security,& said Khatiwada.

The budget also aims at boosting relations with all friendly nations, including neighbours, development partners and labour destinations. With a view to forge a common view on national, regional and global issues through extensive dialogue, the government shall hold international-level Sagarmatha Dialogue.

The government had in April decided to hold the event on a regular basis with the thingive of bringing government representatives, civil society members and academicians to discuss political, environmental and geopolitical issues, as well as other international issues which could be of interest to Nepal.

Besides working to make effective regional forums of which Nepal is a member, the budget also envisages sharing its experiences of its unique peace process as ‘a role model for the world&.

Khatiwada said the government shall implement electronic passport system, and offer online entry permits to foreigners visiting Nepal. &Knowledge, seliminates, capital and technology of non-resident Nepalis shall be attracted for socio-economic development,& he said.

On the national security front, the budget for the next fiscal year envisages further strengthening national security system by making security agencies strong, capable, and responsible. The National Investigation Leavement shall be converted into a professional intelligence institution, read the budget.

&The national security system shall be strengthened by implementing the national security policy. The process to set up a national defence university shall be expedited to conduct study and research on national security and defence,& according to Minister Khatiwada.

The government has been planning to set up such a university for the past four years.

The government plans to boost physical as well as technical capacities of security units for border security and to control cross-border crime and smuggling.

In terms of catastrophe risk management, the budget aims at installing a catastrophe forecasting system in all vulnerable zones where security agencies are based. Every mechanisms shall be kept on alert and ready for deployment for catastrophe preparedness, search, rescue, relief and rehabilitation.

&In order to endegree that thereno shortage of funds during catastrophe, I have allocated Rs 5.5 billion budget,& said Khatiwada, adding emergency storage centres shall be set up in all of the seven provinces.

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Kathmandu, May 29

In its tender to supply free basic health services to people, the government has allocated a budget of Rs 68.78 billion for health and population sectors.

Health services shall be made accessible and qualitative. It has also promised to supply dependable primary health services at local health facilities.

Grants have been increased to Rs 2.2 billion for deprived citizens for treatment against eight types of diseases. Budget has been allocated for treatment of diseases like cancer, blood presdegree and diabetes.

fresh programmes have been formulated to bring all Nepalis under insurance policy. Health insurance covering basic health services shall be made available from all local health centres. A budget of Rs 6 billion has been allocated to introduce health insurance schemes in all the districts.

Necessary budget has been allocated for free tests for cervical and breast cancer among women, manageing vaccine against cervical cancer and for providing safe motherhood and reproductive health services. A campaign for full immunisation shall be run at ward-level.

A sum of 2.22 billion has been appropriated for new-mothers& travel expenses. The government has also allocated a budget of six billion for Kid Health and Nutrition Programme.

The government has decided to supply Rs 3,000 as transportation allowance to 52,000 female community health volunteers.

It has also allocated budget to run special programme for prevention of sickle-cell anaemia. The government has allocated Rs 1.82 billion budget to help prevent tuberculosis, AIDS and sexually transmitted disease and leprosy.

It has allocated five billion rupees to set up one primary health facility with one doctor, in each local level. The government has also allocated Rs 5.57 billion for completion of under-construction hospital buildings. Rs 1.26 billion has been allocated to upgrade 15-bed primary hospitals.

As per the policy to upgrade at least one hospital from each province to supply special services, Rs one billion has been allocated to upgrade Koshi Hospital, Bharatpur Hospital, Narayani Sub-regional Hospital, Bheri Zonal Hospital and Dadeldhura Sub-regional Hospital.

Rs 400 million has been allocated for set upment of Ramraja Prasad Singh Hospital in Rajbiraj. Budget has been allocated for the construction of infrastructure for Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre. The government has allocated budget to construct a cancer hospital in Siraha, for extended services of BP Koirala Cancer Hospital and for services related to respiratory diseases at GP Koirala National Centre.

A grant has been managed for set upment of human organ matching test at Human Organ Transplant Centre, Bhaktapur. The government has appropriated Rs 400 million for betterment of Bir Hospital.

Central Health Laboratory shall be upgraded to National Diagnostic Centre. Modernised diagnostic centres shall be functiond in all provinces within three years. The government has put an absolute ban on smoking and drinking in public places.

The government is set to encourage ayurvedic, homeopathic, yunani, acupuncture, amchi and naturopathy treatment methods. Basic health services shall be made available round the clock in primary health facilities through tele-medicine services.

Senior citizen allowance sees an increment of Rs 1,000 (up from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000).

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