Social sector development is an index for prosperity: Minister Gurung

Kathmandu - Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Parbat Gurung said although the budget allocated for social sector for the new fiscal year 2020/21 was limited, works that could be hailed as the national pride projects could be undertaken and realized in the social sector. Responding to the queries on various topics raised on the Appropriation Bill -2077 in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Minister Gurung said that the budget for women, children, senior citizens and disability sector was very limited but the goals set in these sector were broad enough.

The government on May 28 had unveiled the federal budget of Rs 1474 billion for the fiscal year 2020/21 out of which Rs 1.14 billion has been allocated for the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens. Minister Gurung further asserted, “The indicators for prosperity are not physical infrastructures and other developments. The social sector’s development could also be an index for prosperity. We will work in such a way so that we could be an index for prosperity.” Stating that until and less the social anomalies and ill-traditions such as Chaupaadi, witchcraft, untouchability and child marriage were not eliminated, the Minister claimed the goal of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis’ could not be achieved.

According to him, his office as well as the government had aimed economically strengthen the women. Hence, women entrepreneurship programmes were launched for the new fiscal year. Reaffirming government’s commitment towards ending gender-based violence, he pledged to consider amendment in Acts and laws to yield desired result towards this end. “Construction of disability-friendly physical infrastructures has been prioritized while the government is preparing to provide state allowance to people with disabilities based on the identity cards,” the Minister added.

He informed that the government was preparing to shift the elderly shelter at Pashupatinath to Gothatar and build elderly shelter with a hospital on its premises. Minister Gurung also informed that the government had aimed to formulate a national strategy to make the children free of street children. Moreover, he said that budget was allocated for sexually marginalized communities and legal provisions have been put in place to secure their welfare. Parliamentarians Durga Poudel and Uma Regmi nailed the Minister about the progress in Nirmala Rape and Murder case to which he replied that the government was aware to formulate Acts and laws which could control such incidents.