December 27: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that that the government will soon implement production-based subsidy system in the country.    
In his address to the nation on the occasion of completion of a year of the incumbent government on Tuesday, he said the state has been continuously investing in agriculture but it has not increased productivity. "Subsidy and distribution of fertilizer will be made on the basis of the classification of farmers from next fiscal year so that the genuine farmers will not be deprived of such facilities including subsidized agriculture loan.”    
Sharing that the production-based subsidy system will be implemented for key food and vegetable items, PM Dahal pledged to make due payment to the milk farmers by mid-April. "But, such reforms will not be sufficient for leap forward in the agriculture sector," the PM admitted. He further said that 401,000 metric tons of chemical fertilizers were ensured for the farmers on time.    
On the occasion, he shared that irrigation facility was provided to an additional 21,168 hectares of land through surface and underground projects in the review year.    
As many as 296 deep tube well and 3,244 shallow tube well irrigation systems were installed, the PM claimed.    
The government is preparing to declare 2081-91 as the decade of investment in agriculture to spur investment in agriculture sector. The government expects the private sector, development partners and cooperatives to join hands with the government for the transformation of the agriculture sector in Nepal.    
"The construction of integrated agriculture and livestock centers with 30 labs will be completed by the mid-July 2024," he said, adding, "Measures will be introduced to reduce the effects of rising import and climate change".    
PM Dahal expressed his commitment to initiate canal development system for agriculture productivity. -- RSS