KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress leaders have stressed that services given from existing VDCs and municipalities should not be reduced while restructuring the local bodies. In an interaction organised by the NC Central Working Committee here today to solicit suggestions for fixation of the number and borders of local bodies, special preserved zones and autonomous zones, the leaders reiterated so. Speaking at the programme, party President Sher Bahadur Deuba urged party leaders and cadres to concentrate on practical difficulties while restructuring the local bodies to make it less in numbers. He stressed the practicality of merging VDCs into Village Institutions (Gaunpalikas). Similarly, senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel opined for holding consultations with other parties in this regard and that the issues should be resolved within a week. He said that the national treasury might be misused while restructuring the local bodies if the service centres were developed haphazardly. Likewise, party leader Prakash Man Singh stressed not reducing the services and facilities adding the local bodies' restructuring process might be changed if the borders of federal units were changed while addressing concerns of Madhesi parties politically. On the occasion, leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula opined for holding local bodies' election on the basis of existing local bodies. Similarly, party Treasurer Sita Devi Yadav, leader Gopal Man Shrestha and Kathmandu party President Sabuj Baniya insisted holding local bodies election by mid-April after fixing the demarcation of local bodies. Party officials, CWC members and district presidents are attending the interaction. Expert Dr Shyam Bhurtel-led team has presented a working paper. After the presentation, party leaders would give their suggestion in the issues, shared chief secretary of the party central office, Krishna Prasad Paudel. READ ALSO:

• NC discussing local body restructuring with district leaders