Ensuring Security

EVEN as the government has received a firm mandate from the ruling party and also other national political parties to initiate measures for ensuring security in the country, the Maoists made a devastating attack in the Eastern district of Solukhumbu with scores getting killed in the incident. According to radio reports, more than 150 people, including the Chief District Officer, two police inspectors and dozens of policemen died in the overnight attack made in the district headquarters of Solu. This is the third successive day that the Maoists rebels have struck in various parts of the country causing huge losses of lives and property. At a time when the government was taking positive steps to ensure a peaceful solution of the more than six year old Maoist problem, it is indeed a great setback to the whole nation that the Maoists have resorted to mindless violence once more. It is beyond logic to believe that the killing of Nepalese by Nepalese can solve any problem. Like mentioned by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Maoists should have not made the unilateral decision to opt out of the peace talks, when the government was maintaining maximum restraint and also adopting a most liberal policy while dealing with the Maoists. Now, because of their indiscriminate attacks, which have caused the loss of more than 200 lives within three days, the government has no alternative but to exercise all the powers provided by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal to suppress such terrorist acts.

Quite rightly, the ruling Nepali Congress, after an emergency meeting the other day, has instructed the government to immediately utilise existing constitutional and legal provisions to beef up security and counter the unleashing of the terrorist activities of the Maoists. Leaders of various political parties have also fully supported the government to ensure security and improve the deteriorating law and order situation. It can be seen that the Maoists have drawn the wrath of the general people too because of their unprovoked attacks against the country’s security personnel and ordinary civilians. It is the duty of the government to ensure the security and safety of the nation and the people and the Maoists have put up a daunting challenge in front of it. However, the government should take strength from the fact that it has received unconditional support from all sections of the society, including opposition political parties, so that it can effectively control the violent activities of the Maoists. With determination and cooperation from all sides, there is no reason why the wrong and harmful actions of the Maoists cannot be controlled and peace ensured in the country.

Crop Diversification

AGRICULTURE has the lion’s share in the country’s GDP and export. Despite being backbone of our national economy, agricultural sector has not been fully developed and modernized. Our agriculture is subsistence. Until a few decades ago Nepal was a net food exporter country. Now it has turned into a food importer nation. Majority of farmers are poor and their farm production is hardly sufficient to feed them more than six months a year. This is because our farming system is traditional and farmers have not adopted the modern technique and means for more production. If the nation’s economy was to be developed in a more sustainable way and economic condition of the people living in the rural areas to be raised, priority must be given to agriculture and its potentials fully exploited. In view of this, His Majesty’s Government has accorded high priority to agricultural development and several programmes have been launched in different parts of the country in order to boost agro-products and raise the economic status of farmers. As modern method of cultivation and use of improved seeds and tools are highly necessary for raising the farm production, the government has provided incentives and subsidy in chemical fertilizer and other agricultural inputs. Another factor responsible for the low productivity in our agriculture is the lack of sufficient irrigation facilities. Majority of farmers still rely on rainwater for cultivation. Besides, the government has adopted the 20-year Agricultural Perspective Plan to alleviate poverty through the development of agriculture. The Plan envisages five per cent increase in the annual growth rate of agricultural production and double the per capita food availability. The Agriculture Perspective Plan also aims at improving irrigation facilities and creating market for the products of farmers. Another equally important factor that farmers need to pay attention is the diversification of crops. Until a few years ago, farmers grow only cereal crops, which yielded less benefit to the farmers. Recently, farmers have started diversifying crops and slowly shifting from cereal farming to cash crops. This has increased the income and improved the economic status of the farmers tremendously. Crop diversification and cash crop farming needs to be promoted more in order to transform our agriculture from subsistence farming to a commercial and industrial venture.