The meeting of the Public Policy and Delegated Legislation Committee under the National Assembly of the Federal Parliament emphasized the need to amend the “Kharka Policy” (National Rangeland Policy) in line with changing times and link it to the country’s economic prosperity. During a discussion with subject expert Dhan Prasad Lamichhane, lawmakers said the multiple uses of kharka (high-altitude pastureland) should be promoted by resolving existing legal complexities.
At the meeting, CPN-UML lawmaker Somanath Portel highlighted the need to integrate kharka not only with livestock farming but also with medicinal herbs and tourism, stressing the need to amend the “Kharka Act, 2011.” He said the policy could not be effectively implemented in the past because the then District Development Committees and ad hoc management committees lacked sufficient authority. He suggested moving forward by linking the policy with nationalized kharka areas.
Similarly, Nepali Communist Party lawmaker Nar Bahadur Bista expressed concern over the failure to commercially cultivate Nepal’s valuable medicinal herbs and plants. He argued that exports could be increased through commercial production of plants such as bhimal, aak and allo, and said industries based on domestic production should be encouraged instead of relying on imported raw materials. He maintained that businesses could not become export-oriented without integrating the Forest Act, National Parks Act and Kharka Act and introducing policy reforms.
During the discussion, Nepali Congress lawmaker Padam Bahadur Pariyar suggested that national security and the possibility of misuse should receive special attention when promoting the commercial use of kharka. As kharka areas are generally located in border regions, he said authorities should remain alert to policy loopholes and security challenges that could arise in the name of commercialization. Another Nepali Congress lawmaker, Yubaraj Sharma, emphasized the need for a policy that encourages every rural household to raise a small number of sheep or other livestock rather than focusing solely on large-scale farms. He expressed confidence that this would generate large-scale production nationally and strengthen the rural economy.
The extensive discussion in the committee concluded that practical implementation of the kharka policy and the resolution of legal complexities were necessary to transform kharka into a strong foundation for the country’s economic development.
Login to add a comment