Kathmandu, June 29: Minister for Culture, Tourism, Civil Aviation Tarini Datta Chataut has said that the renovation of the Sindhulgadhi palace considered to be of historic and archaeological importance will commence from the forthcoming fiscal year.

Responding to oral questions asked by MPs at the meeting of the House of Representatives today, Minister Chataut said that as the report of the technical team which made a field visit of the palace had already been received, the design in this connection would be prepared in the next fiscal year.

He said at present there was no programme for the development and reconstruction of the historic and religious places of Salyan district such as Kubhinde, Khairabang, Chhayachhetra and Laxmipur Devsthal.

Mr Chataut said “as the proposal for developing Rautapokhari, Sukepokhari and Mainaranithan of Udayapur district as tourist centres had been received by the ministry only recently, schemes for its development would be formulated and implemented soon.”

Ganga Prasad Nepal, Prakash Jwala and Suresh Kumar Karki of the CPN-UML had posed questions to Minister Chataut.

Meanwhile, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ram Krishna Tamrakar has said that taking into consideration the food crisis in the hilly districts of the country, HMG has made provision for additional 50 per cent more foodgrains as compared to that of last year in those districts.

Minister Tamrakar was responding to question posed by Prakash Jwala of the CPN-UML, who had asked what programmes were being introduced to solve the foodgrain problem in the hilly districts, during question hour at the meeting of the House of Representatives today.

Likewise, in response to query of Anand Prasad Pokharel of the CPN-UML, who had asked what was going on for running a slate mine at Bigu, Alambu and Chilamkha of Dolakha district, Minister Tamrakar said at present there was no programme.

When Til Kumar Meyangbo (Limbu) of the CPN-UML asked whether there was any programme to set up a food depot at Khebang and Sadeba of Taplejung district, Mr Tamrakar replied that there was no programme to set such depots at present.