Dhangadhi: Mayor of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City, Gopal Hamal, has called on the people of Sudurpashchim to demand a clear and practical roadmap for poverty reduction from political parties and candidates in the upcoming elections.
Extending greetings on the occasion of Sudurpashchim’s traditional festival Puse Pandhra and Tamu Lhosar, Mayor Hamal made the appeal through a video message shared on social media on Tuesday. He said poverty in Sudurpashchim has become increasingly serious and warned that political debates without concrete plans are meaningless.
In his message, Mayor Hamal noted that despite several political changes over the years, the pace of development in Sudurpashchim remains disappointing. Citing Karnali Province as an example, he said that according to 2019 data, Karnali had the highest percentage of people living below the poverty line, but the situation has improved there in recent years.
“According to 2019 statistics, 39.50 percent of Karnali’s population was living below the poverty line, which has now decreased to 26.69 percent,” Hamal said. “In contrast, Sudurpashchim had a poverty rate of 25.30 percent in 2019, but it has now increased to 34.16 percent.”
He stressed that voters should not be swayed by election-time promises alone. Instead, he urged citizens to ask candidates who come door-to-door for votes about their concrete plans, studies, and long-term strategies to reduce poverty in the region.
Mayor Hamal said the time has come for voters to question how exactly poverty will be reduced in Sudurpashchim. He appealed to the people to exercise their voting rights wisely and support only those candidates who present clear, realistic, and actionable plans to address poverty in the province.
