CM Kandel urges Finance Minister Pun to prioritise Karnali in budget

KAKREBHIR, SURKHET: Chief Minister of Karnali Province, Yam Lal Kandel, had a meeting with Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun, where they discussed the projects and budget that should be prioritised in the upcoming fiscal year's budget.

Chief Minister Kandel appealed to Minister Pun to accord special priority to the Karnali corridor (Surkhet-Humla) and the Bheri corridor (Surkhet-Dolpa), considering them as national pride projects. He also requested the Finance Minister to establish a project office with a separate structure and allocate the necessary budget to expedite the completion of the project.

The need for a budget arrangement for implementing the project to convert the Ratna Highway from Kohalpur to Surkhet into a four-lane road was also emphasised, as it has not been implemented despite being included in the government's annual policies and programmes.

The Chief Minister further called for allocating the necessary budget to enhance the accessibility of air services in Karnali province with the federal capital and to develop it as a hub for domestic flights by expanding and upgrading the Surkhet airport. He also called for allocating the necessary budget for the reconstruction of private housing and other structures in the earthquake-affected districts of Jajarkot, Rukum (West), and Salyan.

The Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, was also present at the meeting.

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