CM Kandel touring Karnali to draft development plans

By Netra Shahi,Jumla, Nov. 23: Karnali Province Chief Minister Yam Lal Kandel has said that he is touring districts outside Surkhet to draft development plans for Karnali Province.

Speaking at a press meet organised by the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Jumla Chapter, on Friday, the Chief Minister stressed that the tour aims to collect suggestions for identifying and formulating effective development strategies for the region.

During the programme, he highlighted the immense potential of Karnali and stressed the importance of gathering input from stakeholders on what projects and policies could be most beneficial. He said that he was currently visiting districts such as Kalikot, Mugu and Jumla to monitor ongoing projects and gather suggestions for the region's development.

Chief Minister Kandel also shared that he was consulting with elected representatives, government officials and journalists to discuss development and construction efforts at the federal, provincial and local levels. 

He reiterated the need for political parties to work in unison to ensure the overall development of Karnali, saying, “Jumla holds great potential, particularly in apple farming and we are also engaging with farmers to explore this avenue further.”

During the press meeting, journalists raised several concerns, including insufficient budget allocations for the Karnali region, a lack of district-specific plans, the absence of investment summits in Karnali, limited efforts to increase revenue and the continuation of fragmented development projects.

FNJ Jumla Chairperson Netra Bahadur Shahi called on the provincial government to expedite the Media Bill and introduce laws to strengthen the communication sector in Karnali. 

He also urged the government to provide capacity-building training for journalists and ensure the timely distribution of public service advertisements. He also suggested prioritising the reconstruction of homes damaged during the floods and landslides of 2022.

Addressing the concerns, Chief Minister Kandel acknowledged the importance of journalists’ suggestions and stated that they would contribute to shaping future development plans. However, he said that structural limitations within the provincial government have constrained certain initiatives. 

He assured that no unnecessary fees would be imposed during project implementation and clarified that his government had not replaced any projects introduced by the previous government.