NA continues deliberations on government policies and programmes

The National Assembly (NA) continues deliberations on the government policies and programmes for the fiscal year of 2022-23. The government policies and programmes were presented before a joint session of the Federal Parliament by the President on Tuesday and the parliament deliberations on them kicked off Thursday.

In today’s session of the upper house, NA member Dr Bimala Rai Poudyal said the government policies and programmes were theoretically lengthy and required amendments. Praising the continuity of the good efforts of the previous government, she drew the government’s attention towards establishing an organic fertilizer factory.

 Krishna Prasad Poudel assessed the policies and programmes promoting timely capital expenditure for people under the poverty line and improving their livelihood, strengthening capital market and utilising the insurance amount for self-employment opportunities and production. He advised to introduce and implement a ‘chain of supplies’ in agriculture.

 Dil Kumari Rawal Thapa alleged that the government new policies and programmes failed to encourage the public much. She sought an investigation to all cases of corruption. Taraman Swanr on the other hand, shared the view that nation’s economy hit by COVID-19 pandemic was further affected by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the policies and the policies and programmes came amidst such challenges were objective. He took time to advise the government to focus on concluding the remaining task of peace process soon and find a solution to the issue in the supplies of chemical fertilizer.

Mahesh Kumar Bohara commented that the policies and programmes failed to assimilate the need for socialism-oriented economy as per the spirit of the constitution. As he said, the policies and programmes addressed nothing about the martyrs and those left injured and disabled during the course of political changes in the country.

Hiradevi Gautam accused the government to come up with substantive policies and programmes to be serious towards the conditions of poor and indigent community. Singha Bahadur Bishwakarma explained that the policies and programmes addressed the people of grass root level and it was indeed welcoming that it had incorporated the issues of women, children, senior citizens, dalits and othere suppressed community and the foreign employment issue.

 Bina Pokhrel insisted that the budget should cover all issues incorporated by the policies and programmes while Sharada Devi Bhatta said the policies and programmes failed to realise the need of ending violence against women prevalent in the society.

Rajendra Laxmi Gaire stressed on the need of a systematic urban development with the proper management of water supplies, sewage and road facilities. She demanded the effective implementation of the women’s right to pass on citizenship of offspring.

Likewise, Jag Prasad Sharma backed the policies and programmes citing that they were capable of concluding the peace process. “The targets of increasing production and reducing import are highly positive,” Khimlal Bhattarai said the local level elections could not be held peacefully and demanded the removal of words ‘peaceful’ and ‘impartial’ from the policies and programmes. As he assessed, the new policies and programmes failed to create a foundation for socialism-oriented economy.

Jitendra Narayan Dev argued that policies and programmes were bought by keeping production and agriculture in the center. “Focus on building of a resilient economy and the priorities to the energy, industry and employment sectors are welcoming.” The NA has two days, yesterday and today, for deliberations on the government policies and programmes.