Govt to ensure sufficient food grain to drought-hit people: Finanace Minister Sharma

By Siraj Khan, Nepalgunj, Sept. 2: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has vowed that the government will ensure sufficient food grain for each and every citizen.

After on-site monitoring of drought-hit Narainapur Rural Municipality of Banke district on Friday, Minister Sharma pledged necessary support to the victim people who could not plant paddy due to drought.

The Minister responded that the government's serious attention was drawn to the people's worry about possible starvation owing to the lack of paddy plantations and assured them of taking all measures to avert any lack of food grains for the people.

He said that he will put forth the issue of providing assistance to the people of Narainapur and the usage of barren land in the Cabinet meeting and also talk about it with the Prime Minister.

"I have seen the situation here, the paddy field turned into fallow land due to lack of rain this year. I will put this issue in the Cabinet meeting for providing assistance to the people," he said.

He also pointed out that the local and provincial governments should also provide assistance to the people immediately.

On the occasion, Chairman of the Narainapur Rural Municipality Istiyak Ahamad Shah submitted a memorandum to Finance Minister Sharma demanding that the federal government should immediately make financial arrangements for installing 18 deep borings, 3 each in 6 wards, and also provide a relief package to the drought-hit people.

Krishna KC Namuna, a provincial assembly member, also demanded that the federal government should provide assistance to the drought-hit people.

In addition to visiting the drought-hit place, Finance Minister Sharma also took stock of the Nepal-India border points by visiting the place.