KATHMANDU, MAY 23
The National Assembly today passed the government's policies and programmes.
President Ramchandra Paudel had presented the government's policies and programmes at a joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament - the National Assembly and House of Representatives on May 19.
Chair of the Upper House Ganesh Prasad Timilsina announced that the government's document was passed by majority members of the House. UML lawmakers voted against the policies and programmes.
Responding to lawmakers' comments on the document, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the government's policies and programmes were a common document that had both old and new programmes.
He said the government had launched new programmes in multiple sectors to provide services to the public and the policies and programmes were not mere a ritualistic pledge. The document pledges to open super specialty hospitals in all provinces where heart surgery and cancer treatment can be provided. Innovation fund shall be created to aid domestic innovation in the field of science. He said the government had pledged to investigate all those who could have illegally amassed wealth. There is good balance of new and old programmes in the policies and programmes, he said.
The PM expressed confidence that federalism would be implemented effectively.
Budget document will outline unique programmes to increase agro-products and generate employment in all 753 local levels. The PM said he summoned government bureaucrats and told them about the allegation that the budget document often got tweaked by lower staff such as joint secretaries, section officers and computer operators of the ministry but that should not happen now.
Our economy is under pressure. That's true but what is not true is that we are going to face problems that Sri Lanka did recently, he added.
The PM said there was no legal or constitutional obligation to start first visit to China or India. It depends on time and situation and I am the biggest evidence of this. When I became the PM for the first time, I started my first foreign tour from China.
But due to our geography, open border, our economy and people's relations with India we all know India's importance. There are certain reasons for the tradition of starting first foreign visit with India, the PM said and added that China invited him to Boao Forum for Asia meeting but it was not the Government of Nepal that decided not to attend the meeting.
Perhaps the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal who understood my engagement due to presidential election and coalition issues, told me that due to domestic situation I might not be able to visit China and he thought a later date for China visit would be better. I thanked the envoy for understanding my problem, PM Dahal added.
He said that the government was very clear that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani were Nepali territories and Nepal would seek diplomatic solution to the issue with India on the basis of facts, historical evidence, and maps.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 24, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
