Kathmandu, July 16

A parliamentary committee has decided to form a champion group of lawmakers aimed at creating awareness about the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the country.

The Sustainable Development and Good Governance Committee of the National Assembly has decided to form the champion group comprising lawmakers from the centre and provinces.

The  group will have 14 lawmakers from the centre and five each from seven provinces. The group will have total 49 members, said the Chair of the panel Taradevi Bhatta at a press meet today.Bhatta said the main role of the group would be to raise awareness on the implement of programmes related to SDGs in the country.

A member of the committee, Bimala Rai Paudel said the group will interact with the central government and the National Planning Commission that coordinates with all ministries, and help provinces and local governments to implement the SDGs.

“Those lawmakers of the provinces interested in the SDGs will be members of the group and they will disseminate the message of the SDGs at the provincial and local levels,” said Paudel.

“The lawmakers will ensure that the bills related to SDGs registered by the governments in the centre as well as in provinces will incorporate the spirit of the SDGs before they are passed,” she said.

In 2015, more than 150 world leaders committed to 17 Sustainable Development Goals including ending poverty, inequality and injustice, and addressing the problem of climate change.