Agriculture Minister pledges transparency in agricultural grant

Kathmandu, March 25: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ramnath Adhikari, has pledged transparency in the distribution of agricultural grants.  Though alleged irregularities in such grants in the past, it will not reoccur, according to the Minister.  

During his address to an Agro Investment Conference organised by the Agro Enterprise Centre of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today, the Minister said the government has launched the disclosure of grants details of so far. "Now all the related details are accessible."  

As he stated, in the past five years, 1.05 billion was spend in agricultural grants and now straight allocations from the ministry as practiced in the past have been ceased. 

He underlined the need of collective efforts to pursue self-sufficiency in agriculture, adding that only the efforts from the private sector are not sufficient to meet the agricultural goals of the State. (RSS)