National Assembly MPs Urge Government to Focus on Food Self Reliance and Agriculture

Members of the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament, have urged the government to prioritize agriculture and introduce programs to make the country self-reliant in food grains and seeds. Speaking during a special session today, lawmakers Durga Gurung and Samjhana Devkota called for policies that protect the poor, marginalized, and landless while boosting domestic food production.

The lawmakers also raised critical social and governance issues. Somnath Portel demanded that the state apologize and take policy actions to eliminate caste discrimination, while Bishnu Kumari Sapkota stated that political parties must not give membership to children or use them for party purposes. Additionally, Rajendra Lakshmi Gaire called for the continuation of the health insurance program and a solution to the drinking water crisis by ensuring one tap per household, including in Madhesh Province. Regarding governance and education, Nara Bahadur Bista demanded transparency in appointing university vice-chancellors, while Mohammad Khalid urged the government to take questions about the holding center seriously.

Finally, discussions touched upon the country's federal setup. Ranjit Karna pointed out that the current provincial structure has weaknesses that need to be corrected to move forward. Supporting the system, Bishnu Bahadur Bishwakarma emphasized that the provincial structure should not be abolished.