Loss of MCC compact will affect country's economic development

Fri, Jun 19, 2020 2:43 PM on Latest, National,

The main opposition party Nepali Congress has laid emphasis on immediately endorsing the United States-aided project, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), from the federal parliament when various opinions have been made public for and against the project.

Lawmaker from the Nepali Congress Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said the MCC was in favour of the country's interest and economic progress so the loss of the project would negatively affect the country's economic development.

Taking special time in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, he said the MCC was focused on facilitating the country's rapid economic development and poverty alleviation.

Karki, also the former finance minister, said the grant of Rs 50 billion to be received under the project could be spent in the areas of energy and road construction as per the MCC. The success of MCC project would prove to be a milestone in the country's development, he said adding the Nepali Congress was in favour of transparent handling of grant.

Over 50 countries across the globe have received the MCC grant and are moving ahead towards economic prosperity, he said, expressing confidence that it would be a game changer project in the area of hydropower.

NCP lawmaker Hit Bahadur Tamang however said the project was dispute in itself and drew attention not to make the subject of deliberation in the parliament until the current debate was sorted out.

He expressed serious concern on the border dispute between neighbouring countries India and China.

Lawmaker Rekha Sharma said there was a culmination of unnecessary debate on MCC so it should be debated in the parliament in a way how the project could be taken ahead for the country's independence and prosperity.

Prem Suwal from Nepal Workers and Peasants Party demanded scraping the MCC noting it was not needed in the country.

Also speaking on the occasion were lawmakers, Khagaraj Adhikari from NCP, Chanda Chaudhary from Rastriya Janata Party, Brijesh Kumar Gupta from NCP, Jhpat Bahadur Rawall from NCP and Pushpa Bhusal from the NC.