Kathmandu, Feb. 29: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Purna Bahadur Khadka has said that the Nepali Army and all stakeholders need to be sensitive towards completing national pride projects within the stipulated cost and time. 

“To meet the Nepali people’s expectations for rapid development, the government entrusted the responsibility of building the corridor projects connecting the difficult settlements including the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhes Expressway to the army,” said DPM Khadka while inaugurating the Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) meeting at the Army Headquarters on Wednesday.

DPM Khadka said that the Nepali Amy could be given additional responsibilities of development in remote areas with complex terrains.

He said that he was a witness to the activeness shown by the armies in the search, rescue and relief works in the latest Jajarkot earthquake and expressed full commitment on behalf of the government to maintaining high professionalism of the Nepali Army by providing the required resources. 

He claimed that the Nepali Army has always been at the top in fulfilling the other responsibilities given by the constitution and deemed necessary by the state.

He said that PSOs meeting would be important to discuss the existing challenges, including a detailed analysis of social harmony and communal activities. He said that his heart swelled with pride when he heard the praise of Nepal and the Nepali peacekeepers from the high officials of the United Nations and other friendly countries. 

DPM Khadka informed that work was being done with priority to draft the necessary legal provisions and update the existing legal provisions to keep the Nepali Army strong and up-to-date.

Delivering welcome remarks, Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Prabhu Ram Sharma said that the Nepali Army has been shouldering up the responsibilities specified by the constitution and the tasks as mandated by the National Security Policy. “Apart from these tasks, NA has been involved in the protection of the environment, disaster management, development, pandemic control and world peace,” he added.  PSOs meeting should briefly analyse the current national, regional and international security situation, he said. 

CoAS General Sharma said that activities such as the war between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas reflect the impact of globalisation on the economic and social life of Nepal. 

He also mentioned that it is necessary to understand the impact of the use of new technology on various aspects of national security and the multidimensional challenges of human security and to be ready for action accordingly.

Defence Secretary Kiran Raj Sharma and other general officers including Chief of the General Staff (CGS) Ashokraj Sigdel were also present at the meeting.