Govt will strictly follow time-bound plan to implement constitution: PM

Kathmandu, June 17

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday said that the government would strictly follow the time-bound action plan unveiled yesterday to hold three elections by 2017-end for implementation of the new constitution.

He also urged the main opposition Nepali Congress party to cooperate with the government in this endeavour.

Addressing an interaction ‘Implementation of Constitution: Challenge and Accountability’ organised by the High Level Administration Reforms and Implementation Committee here today, PM Oli said the government couldn’t wait till the deadline given to Local Bodies Restructuring Commission expired.

Presenting his working paper, Chairman of the commission Balananda Poudel said the commission had been doing its best to accomplish its tasks within the deadline of mid-March 2017.

“If the commission submits its report in mid-March next year, local elections can be held only after two years,” Oli said, adding, “We cannot afford the delay. People involved in the task should take rest only after presenting their report,” PM Oli said at the interaction.

He said there could be minor changes in the programmes but the deadline would not be extended because of the constitutional limitations.

Heads of the security agencies, government secretaries, members of the Parliament and Minister for General Administration Rekha Sharma were present at the interaction.

However, addressing the same function, Nepali Congress leader Kamala Panta expressed dissatisfaction over the action plan prepared by the government, claiming that it was issued without the consent of the opposition party.

NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba has claimed that the government’s action plan was contradictory and that it seemed that the government was not interested in holding the elections and implementing the constitution.

Claiming that government was working hard to implement the constitution, Minister for General Administration Rekha Sharma urged senior leaders of the major parties to be serious about the issue.

Chief Secretary Dr Som Lal Subedi stressed on addressing the financial aspects of federalism and inter-governmental coordination to bring the political transition to an end.

‘Transit treaty with China a new beginning’

Kathmandu: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday said trade and transit agreement with China was a new beginning in Nepal-China relations.

Launching former ambassador Hiranya Lal Shrestha’s book on Nepal-China relations “Sixty Years of Dynamic Partnership” in Baluwatar, PM Oli hoped that the transit treaty would increase Chinese investment in Nepal and promote bilateral trade.

PM Oli further said the transit deal sealed during his China visit in March had ended Nepal’s sole dependency on India for trade access to countries other than India and China.

Stating that China had always been very helpful in Nepal’s development endeavours from the very outset, he hoped that the northern neighbour would to continue to support Nepal in the days ahead.