December 26: President Ram Chandra Paudel has expressed concerns over villages turning 'empty' due to rampant migration to urban areas.    
Speaking at a function organized to mark the 65th anniversary of Thamel-based Saraswoti Multiple Campus on Tuesday, the head of the state urged one and all to seek ways to address the situation.    
He said villages face depopulation despite advancements in education, communications, road, health and electricity after the advent of democracy. Villages experience a population decline despite development, said the president.    
The president advised authorities to formulate education policies and programmes capable of producing globally competitive human resources in order to stop the brain drain. "Combined efforts are necessary towards this end and academic institutions should take this initiative."    
He urged policymakers and concerned authorities to concentrate on finding solutions to address the issue and highlighted the need of promoting job opportunities and vocational education to prevent the widespread migrations of youths in search of careers abroad.

The President who was once a student of this college said he had given his prime time to the movement of democracy as the college student. According to him, the college atmosphere had played a role to further enhance his political awakening and thus his political career.   

President Paudel mentioned that Saraswoti Campus has become the source of inspiration for Nepal's education sector as it had provided opportunity for pursuing higher education in easy and accessible manner in those days when it was very difficult for Nepalese youths to get education. 

Established on Poush 10, 2016 BS, Saraswoti Multiple Campus has around 7,000 students. -- RSS