Backward communities' issues do not figure in policies, programmes

CPN (UML) leader and lawmaker Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai has said the government's policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2023/24 lacked concrete topics for the welfare of the backward communities and sections of society.

Taking part in the deliberations on the Policies and Programmes for the Fiscal Year 2023/24 in a session of the House of Representatives today, he objected to the word People's War in point number 1 of the government's policies and programmes document. He asked whether the Nepali Congress, a partner in the ruling coalition, accepts this particular word.

Bhattarai asserted that the policies and programmes should be a special programme for the women, Dalit, backward areas and the marginalized people in order to develop Nepal as an equitable state.

Stating that people are migrating to the Tarai and big cities from the mountainous and hilly regions, he questioned what will be the country's structure if the local people's outmigration from the mountainous and hilly region cannot be stopped.

Lawmaker Bhattarai said the Mid-hill Pushpalal Highway has been constructed aiming to stop this migration, arguing that his party had brought the concept of Mid-hill Highway to protect the fertile land of the Madhes from being fragmented and sold for housing and settlement.

Construction of the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa the Pokhara International Airport in Pokhara is not a weakness, he said and added that inability to operate them in a commercially viable manner is the weakness instead.

He suggested facilitating the operation of international flights to and from these two airports through diplomatic agreement with India.

Society needs to be prosperous for a prosperous nation: Lawmaker Pariyar

Similarly, taking part in the discussion over the policies and programmes, Nepali Congress joint general secretary Jeevan Pariyar underscored the need of implementing programmes aimed at protecting the rights and interests of all the castes and communities in society for making the nation prosperous.

Stating that the right to live is of paramount importance, he emphasized on the need of all the parties in the country to be dedicated for the prosperity of the country through economic and social transformation.

"Basic things like health, education, employment and social security should be guaranteed," he said and called on the State to pay attention to providing land to the marginal farmers who do not have land of their own and to make provision for supplying clean drinking water to every house.

He also suggested creating employment opportunities within the country itself to stop the youth's exodus for foreign employment. He also called for developing Pokhara as the tourism capital of the country in practicality.

Economic system in serious condition; Lawmaker Poudel

CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Devendra Poudel called on all parties to move ahead together to salvage the economy, saying the economic system is in dire straits.

Stating that time has come to work together to resolve the problems seen in the country's economy, he warned against deviating from the main task at hand- that of propping up the economy.

Lawmaker Poudel expressed concern, saying the pledge for foreign direct investment in Nepal has decreased by 34 percent. He expressed the confidence that the present problems would be resolved as the government's policies and programmes for the next fiscal year have committed to a zero tolerance policy against corruption and irregularities.

Describing the People's War as the struggle waged by the people against exploitation, he objected to the comments to depict it as the war between beasts.