President Bhandari on Thursday presented the government’s annual policies and programmes for the coming fiscal year 2074/75. The policies and programmes unveiled at the Legislature Parliament have continued the existing programmes.

The upcoming policies and programmes has accorded priority to National Pride Projects and priority projects, while giving equal importance to metro, flyover, tunnel way construction, among other infrastructure.

Highlighting the importance of tourism in the country, President Bhandari said holy sites like Pashupatinath, and Lumbini will be established as the tourism destination in a bid to prioritise religious tourism. She also said that the government would give continuity to the project to upgrade TIA while expediting the construction work for Nijgadh International Airport, and construction of other national pride airports.

Adopting zero tolerance against corruption, making public service transparent, hassle-free and free of corruption are other special policies of the government for the next fiscal year.

In the policies, the government plans to ensure the availability of enough manpower and expertise for the provincial election expected to be held by upcoming December/January.

The president said that entrepreneurship and self employment will be given priority for creation of jobs in the country. Programmes to train and attract the youth for entrepreneurship will be brought into effect.

 The President also said that investment in education and health sectors have achieved progress in the past which will be institutionalised. The government aims to make the primary and secondary level education compulsory and free of cost. Focus will be given for community based schools and skill enhancement. Likewise, the government aims to make health accessible to all.

According to the annual policy, the government aims to make national level strategy for the qualitative and quantitative development in the field of science and technology.

Talking about Nepal’s foreign relations, the president said the upcoming programme aims to revise the existing foreign policies to harmonise better relations with neighbouring countries.

Similarly, the government will bring action plan to use the skill and capital of Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) for the development of the country.

The president said that Nepal Army will be mobilised for the disaster management while the government will work to enhance the capacity of security agencies.

Concluding her speech, President Bhandari expressed gratitude to all the political parties, government workers, private sector, security agencies, neighbouring countries, UN, and to those countries and agencies Nepal has bilateral and multilateral relations with.