National Assembly to Meet Again on July 31

The National Assembly is scheduled to hold its next meeting on July 31, Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal informed the upper house on Wednesday.

Earlier in the meeting, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam, on behalf of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, presented the annual report of the Office of the Attorney General for the fiscal year 2081/82.

Chairperson Dahal also informed the Assembly about a letter received from the Office of the President regarding the authentication of several bills.

Speaking during the ‘special hour’ of the Assembly meeting, lawmaker Kamala Pant called for greater focus on disaster preparedness and good governance.

She urged the government to prioritize increasing agricultural production, strengthening good governance, improving disaster management, protecting workers’ rights and controlling inflation.

Pant said the code of conduct, or integrity policy, approved by the Cabinet was aimed at controlling corruption, reducing ethical misconduct and promoting good governance. She stressed the need for its effective implementation.

She also called for timely early warnings based on clear identification of disaster-prone areas and highways. Pant further urged the government to expedite the approval of Nepal’s strategic plan related to the ‘Early Warning for All’ initiative.

Other lawmakers also drew the government’s attention to issues including the protection of press freedom, the timely supply of chemical fertilizers to farmers, health insurance and drinking water problems in the Tarai region.

They also expressed concern over inadequate budget allocations for youth and employment programs and stressed the need for the government to become more accountable to the people.