Kathmandu, Mar. 12:Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said here today that the leadership of government will now be handed over to the young generation.
Prime Minister Bhattarai was speaking at a function organised by the Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs Associations to felicitate him and the members of the Council of Ministers.
“I have no interest to continue to be a Prime Minister for ever; I’m already quite old and nc president Girija Prasad Koirala is 3-4 months elder than me”, the Prime Minister said. “This being the situation now this is the turn of the party’s younger generation to take the leadership.”
“We two (Bhattarai and Koirala) are the ones in the entire South Asia who struggled for the longest period for democracy and suffered throughout the life,” he said. “Both of us are unanimous when it comes to the all-round development of the country, and national interest.”
“There is no truth in the recent media reports on the so called dispute between me and party president Koirala but I don’t mind them,” he said.
If we are able to resolve serious problems of poverty and unemployment to some extent, other problems will be resolved easily, he observed.
Stating that the government has given top priority to maintenance of law and order in the country, he said peace and security are the prerequisites for development.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need to increase the quality of education so as to ensure the country’s development and progress of the people.
Describing tourism as the backbone of national economy, he said the government has set a target of increasing the number of tourists visiting Nepal by ten folds within five years.
As announced earlier, the government has initiated necessary efforts for developing Dhankuta, Birgunj, Palpa, Nepalgunj and Kathmandu into model cities, the Prime Minister said.
Urging the transport entrepreneurs not to increase transport fares in such a manner as to cause inconvenience to the people, he assured them that the government will make necessary arrangements for importing vehicles at concessional prices.
Plans to operate trolley bus and rail services in the Terai are being considered, he said, adding development of water ways is also in the development agenda.
Minister for Finance and Foreign Affairs Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat said Kathmandu valley can become a clean and green, peaceful and beautiful place if His Majesty’s Government, environmentalists and transport entrepreneurs work together honestly towards minimising pollution in the valley.
Minister of State for Population and Environment Bhakta Bahadur Balayar said efforts were made earlier to make Kathmandu valley free of pollution but only the present government has been successful to this end.
The Federation felicitated Prime Minister Bhattarai, Finance and Foreign Minister Dr. Mahat and Minister of State for Population and Environment Mr. Balayar in recognition of their special contribution to the promotion the transport entrepreneurs interest and to the protection of the environment.
On the occasion, the Federation also announced that arrangements have been for blind passengers to travel free of cost in all public transport vehicles from today.
Speaking at the function chief whip of nc parliamentary party Gopalman Shrestha urged transport entrepreneurs to carry out their business not only for profit but also with a sense of service.
Federation president Sharad Prasad Upreti presided.