Kathmandu, May 13: Deliberations on the government policies and programmes presented for the forthcoming fiscal year 2073–74 BS at the Legislature-Parliament ended today.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari on March 8 presented the government new policies and programmes before the House.

A total of 180 lawmakers took part in the deliberations that started on May 9.

The salient features of the government’s policies and programmes include one house one employment, concessional loan on basis of educational qualification, production of 10,ooo megawatts of energy in 10 years, local elections in coming November and bright Nepal prosperous Nepal.

At today’s session, Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada termed the government’s policies and programmes as motivating in nature but expressed doubt if it would be limited to sloganeering and fall short of implementation.

“The government, which cannot even hold employees’ trade union elections, talking of holding local body elections sans political agreement is merely deceiving, and we can see it from the names of justices recommended by the government when it boasts of regulating the judiciary,” he said.

Another lawmaker from the main opposition Chandra Kanta Bhandari said the policies and programmes which sound good and lovable have not mentioned a word on integrated settlement.

Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Democratic’s Kalpana Chaudhary, said the pledge for one house one employment in quake-stricken areas, increment in social allowance and construction of link road in Kathmandu should not be limited to document.

UCPN (Maoist)’s Janaki Kumari Rawal said the programmes for commercialization and modernization of the agro sector was a strong aspect and extended ‘critical support’ even though it remained incomplete and inadequate.

CPN (UML)’s Keshav Badal said that the policies and programmes were introduced in the interest of country’s self-dependence and nationality and pledged to contribute in its advancement by avoiding political partisanship in favour of ruling coalition or the opposition.

NC lawmaker Arjun Prasad Joshi said the policies and programmes promising the construction of helipads in villages at a time when thousands of people remained in a state of disarray due to a year’s lapse in the absence of post-quake relief was hilarious.

CPN (UML)’s Prakash Jwala voiced for constructing the fast track and Nijgadha International Airport with the use of national investment.

Bhim Prasad Acharya from the same party said that the opposition parties’ aspirations should be assimilated in the policies and programmes. He added that the pension should be managed for farmers for their security.

Similarly, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal’s Dilanath Giri stressed the need of holding local bodies’ election by the last month of this year.

On the other hand, Bimalendra Nidhi from the main opposition urged all to support his party’s amendment proposal registered by lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak. He accused the government of becoming a failure in every sector.

In another note, he clarified that Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track Construction process was initiated through a global bidding on the basis of minimum profit guarantee.

He added that the Nijgadha International Airport could not be constructed unless the fast track was constructed.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to respond the lawmakers’ queries regarding the government new programmes and policies today itself. RSS

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