Kathmandu, November 3

Speaker Onsari Gharti today said the new constitution, which has institutionalised federalism, would increase people’s participation in the governance of the country .

Inaugurating a seminar ‘Use of Government Statistics for Sustainable Development’ jointly organised by the National Information Commission and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs here today, Speaker Gharti said that transparency and accountability of the government alone would not fulfill people’s aspirations and needs.

Stating that formulation of laws was necessary to institutionalise the changes after promulgation of the new constitution, the Speaker stressed the need for increasing people’s access to information regarding government’s activities.

Similarly, Chief Commissioner of the NIC, Krishna Hari Banskota said increasing people’s access to information on government’s activities would held maintain good governance.

NIC commissioners Kiran Kumar Pokharel and Yashoda Devi Timsina argued that democracy is strengthened only when people have access to information.

NIC Secretary Laxman Prasad Mainali, Country Director of UNDP Renaud Meyer and Administrative Officer at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Arpine Korekyan, said good governance can be maintained when people have easy access to information.

Media persons as well as activists of right to information are participating in the three-day seminar.