PM KHANAL RELEASES POPULATION PERSPECTIVE PLAN

PM KHANAL UNVEILS POPULATION PERSPECTIVE PLAN

Kathmandu, 11 July: Prime Minister and Chairman of National Population Committee, Jhala Nath Khanal unveiled a population perspective plan (2010-2031) at a function organised by the Ministry of Health and Population on the World Population Day in the Capital on Monday, RSS reports..
Considering the growing challenges of population management, the long-term plan aims to extend effective health services including the reproductive health services to those below the poverty line and living in risk all across the country.
Similarly, the government has planned to promote women empowerment, respect gender equality and gender mainstreaming, launch population management programmes with people's participation, facilitate the balanced regional development to alleviate poverty.
It has been projected that the population growth rate 2.25 (2001 census) will be reduced to 1.16 in 2031 but the population will ascend to over 36 million. As per the growth rate, 2.25 (2001), Nepal's population doubles after 31 years.
High growth rate, high child and maternal mortality rate, unavailability of family planning contraceptives, lack of adolescents' access to reproductive health, growing HIV/AIDS cases, rapid urbanisation and migration, imbalanced distribution of populations, early marriage and displaced and old age population are the challenges of population management.
Unveiling the plan, Prime Minister Khanal said, "Youth population should be prepared as quality manpower as per the need of national development."
Similarly, Vice-Chairman of the National Population Committee and Minister for Health and Populations, Shakti Bahadur Basnet said the mobilisation and management of populations was important as the population is the resources of creation and basis of development.
Secretary at the Health Ministry Dr Sudha Sharma said it was time to manage population rather than controlling birth rate.
Country Director of UNFPA Ian MacFarlane pointed out the need to invest in the health, education and poverty alleviation. For this, coordination among the ministries was essential, he added.
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PM, FINANCE MINISTER BRIEF PRESIDENT ON COMING BUDGET

Kathmandu, 11 July: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari Monday briefed President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav separately on the annual budget for 2011/12 being present Friday in parliament.
Khanal told the president the budget is being presented with understanding of political parties, Surya Thapa, press advisor of the government chief said.
Earlier, Adhikari briefed leaders of ruling UCPN (Maoist), UML and main opposition NC on budget preparation.
The finance minister also briefed Vice-President Parmananda Jha on the budget.
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