June 12” While unveiling the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat had announced that some government agencies/organizations will be scrapped while some others will be merged to reduce the regular expenses of the government. Meanwhile, stakeholders have expressed their displeasure over this decision saying that the government took such a move without any study, preparation and alternative arrangements.

There has been a state of confusion after Finance Minister Mahat announced the decision to scrap 20 government agencies including the Cotton Development Committee at Khajura in Banke as well as the District Election Offices while announcing the budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2023/24 on May 29.

This decision has worried the farmers of Banke and Bardia. Satish Niraula of Khajura said that this decision is unfortunate as jobs can be created by operating yarn industry along with cotton using equipment worth millions of rupees owned under the committee.

The Cotton Development Committee with central office in Khajura, Banke, has sold cotton worth Rs 30 million in the current fiscal year (FY 2022/23). The committee’s chairman Hemantraj Kafle said that 300 farmers have been selected and the required seeds and pesticides are already purchased as this is the right time for cotton cultivation.

“All the cotton in the warehouse has been sold, the demand is the same. Farmers here are earning a lot of income from cotton farming. It is sad that an organization that is trying to rise up is scrapped. Our capital has already reached Rs 100 million and it has been consistently profitable in recent years.”

Chairman of the committee Kafle said that due to the increase in the demand for cotton in recent times, it is not possible to supply the product as per the demand. He informed that 100 tons of cotton purchased from farmers in the current season has been sold.

Finance Minister Mahat also announced the abolition of the National Dairy Development Board. Since the organization regulates dairy products and industry, brings concession package for farmers and makes policies/rules related to dairy industry, the stakeholders have come out against the decision.

Associations and organizations related to the dairy industry, including Nepal Dairy Science Association (NDSA), Nepal Dairy Association, Central Dairy Cooperative Association (CDCAN), Central Fisheries Promotion and Conservation Center (CFPCC), Nepal Animal Science Association and other organizations demanded that the government's decision should be reversed.

Tek Bahadur Thapa, president of NDSA said that it is sad that the regulatory body of the dairy industry, which contributes greatly to the total national production of the country, has been abolished. Ram Prasad Acharya, general secretary of the Central Dairy Cooperative Association, said that the National Dairy Development Board is a place for farmers to voice their opinion and that the cancellation is not justifiable.