The National Assembly has started deliberations on the appropriation headings related to the Ministry of Health and Population, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the National Planning Commission, the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President, under the Appropriation Bill 2076, today.

Taking part in the discussions, Nepal Communist Party (NCP) parliamentary party whip Khimlal Bhattarai said the government has shut the door to smugglers. “While carrying out investigation regarding where are all the gold smugglers, it is found that they are in the Central Jail at Sundhara. The government has shut the door to smugglers,” he said.

Talking about development, Bhattarai said the federal government has focused its attention to making local government and the central government strong by moving forward construction works of the big projects. “The country has moved forward on positive direction and the government has no intention of concentrating authority in itself,” he said.

Nepali Congress’ Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi proposed in the meeting to reduce Rs 100 in the expenditure amount under the appropriation heading related to the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under the Appropriation Bill 2076.

He drew the attention of the government to the lack of seriousness of functioning of the Nepal Airlines Corporation, referring to the situation in which when customers go to buy air tickets they get the answer that there are no more tickets whereas the NAC planes are operating without full occupancy. —