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Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government has been implementing various programs through hospitals and health institutions under the jurisdiction of the federal, provincial and local governments for improving the child and maternal health status.

Replying to the queries of lawmakers in the House of Representatives today, he informed the House that a feasibility study is being conducted in collaboration of the Government of Nepal, the Thai International Cooperation Agency and UNFPA Nepal for the construction of a well-appointed ‘birthing hospital' in Lumbini province.

"The construction works are being carried out as per the Lumbini Master Plan, which was approved in 1978 keeping in view the immense religious and tourism potential of the Lumbini region.

The government has been formulating and implementing an action plan for the sustainable operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in consultation with the concerned agencies. Concessions and incentive programs such as discount on passenger service fee, ground handling, and on landing, parking and navigation fees have been brought into operation,” the PM said in reply to a question.

The Prime Minister informed that work is underway to operate the airport at full capacity in future.

"Currently, Al Jazeera, Fly Dubai, Air Asia and Nepal Airlines have been operating international flights from GBIA. Labor and Employment Office, Butwal has started issuing labor permits. Arrangements have been made to provide banking facilities including immigration, currency exchange at the airport itself."

Earlier, PM Oli had said that the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, wheat and sugarcane crops has been fixed to encourage agricultural production.

He said homework was underway to move forward the agriculture modernization project with further modifications to increase agricultural production and move towards self-reliance.

PM Oli further said that these efforts of the government to control consumption-oriented imports and address the low export capacity and high trade deficit have resulted in an increase in total exports and improvement in export-import ratio during this period.

He said a team of Japanese experts with the technical support of the Japanese government was carrying out a study to prevent huge loss of lives and property every year due to floods in the Keshaliya, Budhikhola, Singiya and Lohandra rivers in Morang and Sunsari districts.

According to the Prime Minister, the concerned ministries are coordinating and doing homework with the province governments and local levels to select plans and programs based on the need and demand in all the constituencies and include them in the annual budget and programs for the next fiscal year.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said at least 500 entrepreneurs would be provided with the 'startup' loan this year in order to make the youths entrepreneurs.

In the course of responding to queries of lawmakers in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, he shared that the process for the selection has reached the final phase from the interested bidders in the program of providing loans at subsidized interest rate to attract investors in startup-based entrepreneurship development by encouraging creativity and innovation.

Stating that the government recently conducted national labor and employment conference with an objective of preparing sustainable basis of internal employment by expanding production and productivity in the country, PM Oli mentioned that going abroad for the citizen of developed and rich countries for business, employment and study is a global trend as the world has now become the global village.

"The statement about the brain drain of youth should not be understood totally in a negative way. Earlier, there were limited options for livelihood. Now it has been broad. Our youths have taken advantage of the choice of going to any country they wish", argued the Prime Minister.

He, however, said they have been carrying out activities to create opportunities of employment and entrepreneurship to youths in the country.

Prime Minister Oli added that the government has made policy-level and legal reforms as well as business-friendly laws to create an investment-friendly environment by improving industrial environment, to attract foreign investment by promoting internal investment, create employment by increasing production and productivity and to reduce trade deficit through promoting export.

The 15th Memorial Day of former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is being marked today by organizing various programs. Late Koirala had played a leading role to bring the agitating side in the mainstream of peaceful politics by ending armed conflict in the country. 

Koirala led the movements that took place after the then King Gyanendra Shah started appointing the Prime Minister of his favor by removing people-elected Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on October 4, 2002.

He led the movement for the establishment of democracy by uniting all parties after King Gyanendra on February 1, 2005 appointed himself as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, banning the political parties.

King Gyanendra on April 24, 2006 had agreed to restore the dissolved House of Representatives as per the roadmap of agitating seven political parties. Koirala became the prime minister for the fourth time after the movement of seven political parties became successful.

The reinstated House of Representatives had on May 18, 2006 curtailed all rights of the palace and limited the King to a ceremonial role. 

Management of arms along with adjustment of the then Maoist people's liberation army was conducted under Koirala's leadership.

Under GP Koirala's leadership, NC founder leader BP Koirala's dream of holding the Constituent Assembly elections was fulfilled on April 10, 2008 after more than six decades. Although the first Constituent Assembly could not promulgate the Constitution, it has become a historic event in the history of Nepal.

With the first Constituent Assembly election, the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist), which had launched an armed revolt against the State, participated in the parliamentary multi-party-political competition.

Koirala, a four-time prime minister, also served as acting head of state in his last term. GP Koirala had played the role of acting head of state after King Gyanendra was suspended.

Under the able leadership of former Prime Minister Koirala, Nepal was established as a federal democratic republic with the abolishment of the Shah-dynasty monarchy with a history of 240 years on May 28, 2008.

Koirala, who was established as a political leader who walked the talk, passed away on March 20, 2010.

The Nepali Congress, its sister and affiliated organizations and well-wishers are marking Koirala's 15th Memorial Day by organizing various programmes today to commemorate his contribution to the establishment of peace in Nepal.

On this occasion, GP Koirala Foundation organized a program in his memory in the capital today.

The UK is hosting a closed meeting on Thursday of senior military leaders from the "coalition of the willing", as they draw up plans for a proposed peacekeeping force for Ukraine, BBC reported.

More than 20 countries are thought to be involved.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to attend on Thursday afternoon after first visiting Barrow, where he is due to lay the keel of one of Britain's next generation of nuclear-armed submarines.

Plans for a Western-led peacekeeping force for Ukraine are said to be moving to an operational phase.

Senior military officers from nations that make up the "coalition of the willing", led by Britain and France, are due to discuss how this would work in practice when they gather at the UK's Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood.

But there remain some major obstacles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow will not tolerate the presence of any Nato member troops in Ukraine, regardless of their role.

The US is also proving reluctant to provide the necessary air cover that prospective members say they need.

Sir Keir is expected to attend part of the meeting after first visiting Barrow where he will lay the keel of HMS Dreadnought, one of the next generation of nuclear-armed submarines, according to BBC.

On his visit to the town, Sir Keir will say Barrow is a "blueprint" for how defence spending can benefit a community.

He is due to announce that the King has agreed to grant Barrow the title of "Royal" in recognition of its contribution to national security.

Earlier he visited the crew of one of Britain's nuclear submarines, HMS Vanguard, as it returned to Scotland after patrolling the waters of the north Atlantic.

The prime minister told reporters the Kremlin respected the UK's nuclear arsenal because "we've got our own independent deterrent and we're committed to Nato".

"What is obviously important is they appreciate that it is what it is which is a credible capability," he said. "And that it most certainly is."

Defence Secretary John Healey, who joined the prime minister on the visit, stressed the government's "unshakeable" commitment to the UK's nuclear deterrent, which he called "the ultimate guarantor of our national security and the security of our Nato allies".