Nepalgunj, Mar. 5: Minister of State for Population and Environment Bhakta Bahadur Balayar  has said the cooperation of all the sectors is necessary for minimising the growth rate of population and extending the fruits of development to the people of the rural areas.

Inaugurating the mid-western regional seminar on “Population and Development” organised by the Ministry of Population and Environment here today, Minister of State Balayar  said that the participants of the seminar should give attention towards the fact that confusion in programmes will prevail until the consciousness is developed among the people and the standard of education is improved in the country.

Expressing the view that development programmes initiated by the government would be affected by the population growth, Mr. Balayar  said the need of the day is to check the growth of population and protect the environment.

At the seminar chaired by Banke DDC chairman Omjung Rana, joint secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment Ananta Raj Pandey, under secretary Upendra Adhikari, chief district officer Shyam Prasad Mainali, mayor of Nepalgunj Municipality Dhawal Shamsher Rana and rpp representative Krishna Kharel also expressed their views on population and environment.

The seminar is being participated in by about 60 persons including the regional directors of various offices in the mid-western development region, representatives of various political parties and non-governmental organisations, journalists, teachers and employees from various offices.