Govt terminates popular anti-poverty program

The government has terminated the ‘Bisheshwar with Poor’ program which was launched six years ago with a view to minimize poverty.

A secretary-level meeting of the Ministry of Local Development had in the last week of September, this year, taken the decision citing lack of budget for the continuation of the program for this fiscal year, according to Kantipur daily.

The government formed after the general election in 1999 had introduced the program to fight the rampant poverty in the country. Through micro-financing and self-employment programs, the program had been benefiting some one hundred thousand families facing abject poverty.

The report quoting a highly placed ministry source said that despite the termination of ‘Bisheshwar with Poor’ program, the ministry “is on homework to introduce a similar anti-poverty program named Rural Development Program”.

There hasn’t been any official word as yet regarding the termination of the anti-poverty program. nepalnews.com mk/kk Oct 28 05