A youth candidate in a bid to make Pokhara a corruption free Tech City

KATHMANDU, Nov 11: The election of the provincial and federal levels are scheduled for November 20. Political parties and candidates have already unveiled their election manifestos and are busy these days in pursuing voters to vote for them. However, there are only a few new faces, visions and plans. Subarna Raj Panta, a candidate of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party for the House of Representatives (HoR) from Kaski-2 is one of them.

Panta vows to build Pokhara as a corruption free tech city. Technology, innovation and digitalization is the path to a better future, according to Panta. “Using technology and turning Pokhara into a Tech City, we can create thousands of jobs for youths and create a favorable environment for Nepal to be independent in agriculture.” 

"Once infrastructure is built and Pokhara becomes a Tech City, we can provide Internet at a cheap price. We will need co-working spaces and accommodation facilities which will directly and indirectly create new opportunities for Tourism. If we can provide good working spaces and reliable internet, tourists can stay in Pokhara and work for companies around the globe. Longer they stay, the higher revenue we will be collecting," said Panta.

Besides, Panta wants to preserve and promote traditional Nepali games and sports on international levels. “We have ‘Bagh Chal’ – a mind game similar to Chess – and  ‘Dandi Biyo’. If Chess can be an international game then why not Chess. If India can promote Kabaddi as an international game, why can’t we?” says Panta.

At the time when the basic necessities like health and education have top the priority for political parties and candidates, there are only few promising candidates like Panta who sees Nepal fit to join the league of developed nations. 

Professionally, Panta runs pharmacies and hospitals in Pokhara. He has a good medical background. In the medical sector, he vows to provide free screening for kidney and heart patients besides other basic health facilities . "Prevention is better than cure."