Kathmandu, July 7

Lawmakers under the-first-past-the-post system and those under proportional representation system and those nominated by the cabinet were divided today at the meeting of Development Committee of the Legislature Parliament over a proposed provision related to Constituency Infrastructure Development Special Programme.

After the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development proposed a provision in CIDSP Operation Regulation that its coordinator can be chosen from FPTP or PR or nominated lawmakers, members of Parilament belonging to FPTP and PR and the nominated ones were divided over the provision.

The FPTP lawmakers pleaded for retaining the existing provision of coordinating the CIDSP under the FPTP lawmakers.

Lawmakers from the PR and cabinet-nominated categories, however, said that the proposed provision should be adopted as all lawmakers carry equal and not different status in Parliament.

Jiwan Bahadur Shahi of Nepali Congress said that since the CIDSP targets specific constituency and PR and nominated lawmakers do not represent a particular constituency, CIDSP coordinator should not be chosen from PR and nominated lawmakers. “So, the existing provision should not be amended,” he said.

Some lawmakers blamed that the provision was proposed by the ministry led by Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal to serve the interest of the party as its all members were represented under the PR system.

They charged that the provision was brought to serve the interest of Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kamal Thapa.

Following differences on the provision, the committee directed the ministry to bring a clearer draft on the CIDSP’s guidelines.

The government has allocated Rs 30 million under the CIDSP from the new fiscal 2016/17. Also, the government has allocated Rs 5 million for the Constituency Development Programme.

Both programmes are being criticised because of the possibility of misuse of state coffers in the interest of particular lawmaker and party.