Upper House lawmakers call for prioritising job creation and youth mobilisation in budget

KATHMANDU: National Assembly (NA) lawmakers, speaking in the discussions on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill for the upcoming fiscal year, called for giving emphasis on employment generation and youth mobilisation by upholding good governance.

Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat had presented the Principles and Priorities of Appropriation Bill for next fiscal year in the meeting of the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament, on February 26.

Taking part in the debate in the NA meeting today, lawmakers underscored on making the budget functional and on improvement in the tendency of getting the budget passed from Parliament by issuing whip, but not obeying the suggestions in the course of implementing it.

Similarly, they emphasised on giving high priority to the agriculture sector, ensuring security to the health workers, making clear the responsibilities on service delivery of the three tiers of government, bringing a plan for consumption of electricity produced in Nepal within the country itself and on also increasing capital expenditure and revenue collection.

Prakash Pantha, Dilkumari Rawal (Parbati), Dr Khimlal Devkota among other lawmakers participated in the discussions.

Dr Devkota on the occasion called attention of the government, saying those ministers who were said to participate in the meeting were not present in the meeting.

President of the Legislation Management Committee, Jayanti Devi Rai, presented the Bill on Anti-Money Laundering and the Promotion of Business Environment, 2079 BS in the meeting today.

She also presented the report of the onsite study programme on law-making process and practices of the local levels.

Government’s attention drawn on making provisions for drinking water and irrigation

Similarly, the upper house lawmakers have drawn the attention of the government towards the difficulties faced by the people for lack of drinking water and irrigation facilities in the Tarai-Madhes region.

They expressed their concern on this issue while speaking in the ‘zero hour’ in the meeting of the National Assembly today.

Lawmaker Tulasa Kumari Dahal called on the government to make arrangements for providing pure drinking water to the people in the Madhes. She also stressed on conservation of the Chure ecosystem by stopping its over-exploitation and on making arrangements for irrigation in the Madhes which is the ‘breadbasket’ of the country.

Lawmaker Jaga Prasad Sharma called for putting an end to the trend of meagre expenditure of the budget appropriated for big projects, drawing the government’s attention to finding a solution to this problem.

Taraman Swar called on the government to expedite the construction of the Seti and Mahakali highways, considered as the backbone for the economy and development of the Sudurpaschim and to ensure budget for these road projects in the next fiscal year’s budget.

Bhagawati Neupane urged the government to develop the birthplace of pioneer poet of Nepali as a tourism destination. Bimala Ghimire drew the attention of the government for immediately addressing the demands of farmers and the victims of usurious lending.

Lawmaker Sumitra BC called for immediately taking ahead the process for reconstruction of houses for the earthquake-affected people of Jajarkot who are still living under tents even after nearly four months since the disaster.