State-2 policy centred on COVID-19 prevention, agriculture and employment

The State-2 government’s policy and programmes for the fiscal year 2020/21 is centred on the prevention and control of the coronavirus pandemic and development of infrastructure, agriculture and employment sectors. State chief Tilak Pariyar had read out the policy and programmes in the State Assembly meeting here on Sunday.

Before this, the Chief Minister Lalbabu Raut had handed over a copy of the state government’s policy and programmes to the State chief. The 48 pages long policy and programmes states that priority would be given to prevention and management of the coronavirus pandemic, the development of health infrastructures and promotion of agriculture and employment, among others.

It maintains that special relief packages would be implemented for reducing the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economy and people’s livelihood. Similarly, it states that the relief being distributed through the local levels would be restructured.

Likewise, the special relief along with foodstuff provided to the daily wage labourers, farm workers, workers returned from abroad and India who are without money and to their dependants and the poor and needy citizens would be continued. The free meals provided by the communities has also been continued in the policy and programmes.

The state government will also invest in agriculture ambulance, guaranteeing the minimum price of agriculture products and in purchase and appropriate storage of agricultural produce to promote market access of such products at times of disaster. The state government will launch the Chief Minister Employment Programme to promote self-employment ventures and creating new job opportunities by providing grants and training for enhancement of skills, for purchasing tools and seed money. Employment opportunities would be created as per the market demands. It is said 50,000 youths would be provided employment in the infrastructure construction sector.

It has laid stress on the Chief Minister Agriculture Uplift Programme, the Youth Self-Employment and Enterprises Development Programme, the ‘Save Daughter, Educate Daughter’ programme, the Chief Minister Dalit and Poor Housing Plan, the Province Project Bank, the Province Development Bank, the Province Investment Promotion Board, the Province with Fully Secured Motherhood, construction of the Province Cancer Hospital, formation of the Province Sports Development Authority, formation of Pradesh Lokpal Aayog (the anti-corruption and ombudsman body), the ‘Protect Chure and Save Madhes’ programme, the State Chief Employment Programme and the formation of a high level monitoring committee on prevention of caste discrimination and practice of untouchability.

The policy and programmes states that a 200 beds capacity Infectious Diseases Control and Treatment Province Hospital each would be constructed in Kalaiya sub-metropolitan city of Bara and at Jaleshwor of Mahottari district. It is stated that the state government would increase its investment in the health sector by two-fold on its current investment.

The state government has also laid emphasis on development of education sector including declaring the State-2 as a ‘fully literate state’. It has proposed plans and programmes for the development of the State capital Janakpurdham, urban development and renovation.

The policy and programmes has likewise laid emphasis on the development of tourism and the industry sector in collaboration with the private sector.