Purushottam Subedi West Nawalparasi, April 7 (Chait 24).
Development and border issues of West Nawalparasi received high priority during a discussion held by Prime Minister Balen Shah with members of the House of Representatives from Lumbini Province at Singha Durbar. During the interaction, MP Bikram Khanal from Nawalparasi Constituency No. 1 and MP Narendra Kumar Gupta from Constituency No. 2 presented written plans covering the burning issues of the district.
During the discussion, MP Khanal highlighted Nawalparasi as a vital gateway for Nepal-India strategic transit and agriculture, drawing the Prime Minister’s attention to various matters. He demanded the immediate completion of the Narayanchowk–Triveni section of the Hulaki Highway, which has been stranded for six years. He also urged the construction of the Bhutaha–Sansarkot–Dumkibas road as an alternative to the risky Daunne section and called for the provision of citizenship and land ownership certificates (Lalpurja) for the residents of Susta.
Similarly, MP Gupta emphasized national pride and strategic projects that require intervention at the Prime Minister’s level. He proposed the integrated development of a ‘Buddha Circuit’ connecting the Ramgram Stupa (the site of Lord Buddha’s relics), Panditpur, Devdaha, and Anoma Ghat. Furthermore, he demanded the full-scale operation of the Maheshpur Customs, acceleration of the 4-lane road construction connecting the customs to the Mahendra Highway, the establishment of a technical polytechnic in the district, the expansion of Prithvi Chandra Hospital, and the resolution of the land ownership dispute of Palhi Multiple Campus.
Both MPs urged the government to ensure the availability of fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation for the agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the district. Specifically, they called for a review of the unequal Gandak Canal treaty and its regular operation, alongside a demand for government intervention in market management for sugarcane and banana farmers. Additionally, both representatives voiced a common plea to resolve the long-standing issues of landless squatters and unmanaged settlers by distributing land ownership certificates.
Elected MPs from Lumbini Province participated in the discussion. Prime Minister Shah assured that the specific and strategic plans raised by the MPs would be prioritized in the upcoming budget and policy framework.
