HoR meeting: Lawmakers demand to put Madhes Province on top priority

Kathmandu, July 24: Lawmakers have demanded the government to provide subsidy to farmers keeping Madhes Province, which has been declared a crisis and drought-hit zone, on top priority.

Speaking in special hour of today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, they drew government’s attention to prevent Madhes from desertification along with Chure conservation. Tree plantation must be continued, they added.

Upendra Yadav of Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal asked the government to make arrangement of electric irrigation with deep boring in Madhes Province immediately.

“Electricity facility should be provided at drought-hit areas round the clock in a concessional rate. I also demand the launch of programme in favour of the farmers by providing loan at low interest,” he added.

He demanded the government to take a diplomatic initiative in relation to the management of Gandak Canal and use of water from Koshi River for irrigation.

Similarly, Ram Prakash Chaudhary of Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal stressed the need of relief along with clear policy and programme and arrangement of grants in drought-hit Madhes Province. Putting forth his view, Andul Khan of Janamat Party urged the government to be serious towards multiple problems facing Madhes Province.

“Farmers in Madhes are desperately in need of chemical fertilizer, drinking water and irrigation facilities. As the three-tier governments have declared crisis and drought-hit areas, farmers must be ensured proper relief.”

Likewise, Ram Krishna Yadav of Nepali Congress drew the attention of three-tier government s to bring relief programme along with alternative measures in order to provide drinking water, irrigation facility and chemical fertilizer in Madhes.

The government should make the people from Madhes Province feel the presence of State during the crisis, he opined, informing that paddy plantation was on 174,508 hectares of land out of 371,645 hectares of land so far.