Kathmandu: In today’s National Assembly meeting, lawmakers raised their concerns over various pressing issues including climate change, natural disasters, and the need for inclusive governance.
During a special hour, Narayan Datta Bhatta of the Nepali Congress said that despite differing political ideologies, all parties share common goals: public service, national interest, and unity. He urged the government to address the growing crisis caused by landslides in the hills and floods in the Terai, which are severely affecting daily life. Bhatta also expressed concern over what he termed “unnecessary meddling” regarding the ‘cooling-off’ provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill.
Renu Chand of the CPN (Maoist Centre) questioned the delay in tabling the Integrated Election Management Bill and criticized the lack of priority given to the Social Network Bill and the School Education Bill. She advocated for a mandatory 33% candidacy provision for women in elections. “Women have contributed equally to movements that secured citizens’ rights, yet they still have to struggle for equal representation and rights,” she said.
Madan Kumari Shah (Garima) of the CPN (Unified Socialist) drew attention to Nepal’s growing vulnerability to climate change. She cited recent disasters such as flooding in Rasuwa, destruction in Dolpa, drought in the Madhesh, and the resulting food crisis as direct consequences. She urged the government to respond with comprehensive programmes involving active participation from youth and women.
“The government must move towards a disaster-resilient and climate-responsive governance system,” she asserted.
Similarly, Mohammad Khalid said that the consensus on political stability, good governance, prosperity, and constitutional amendment which was reached during the formation of the present coalition government is far from being implemented.
Even after a year of the government’s tenure, there has been no increase in employment, no significant progress in agricultural production, and public debt has been rising, he stated.
He raised the issue in Parliament about the lack of rain in Madhesh even until the first week of Saun and the extreme scarcity of irrigation and drinking water for the monsoon crops due to the drought.
Lawmakers Tula Prasad Bishwakarma, Rajendra Laxmi Gaire, Urmila Aryal, Gopal Bhattarai and Padam Bahadur Pariyar voiced their concern on several issues of public concern and drew the government’s attention towards addressing them. (RSS)