Kathmandu: Lawmakers have drawn the attention of the government towards pressing contemporary issues in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives.
According to National News Agency RSS, lawmaker Arjun Narsingh KC urged the government to increase the budget for agriculture and livestock development. He stressed the importance of making the nation self-sufficient in food by modernizing and adopting scientific approaches in agriculture. Furthermore, KC called on the government to commence the procurement process to ensure timely fertilizer distribution to farmers. He highlighted that a significant portion of the 87 billion received through USAID is allocated to the agriculture sector, underscoring the need for seriousness in this matter. He also demanded that the Agriculture Ministry report to the House regarding the distribution of Rs 766 billion in grants over five years, questioning whether the benefits reached the actual farmers.
In a related vein, Ram Hari Khatiwada pressed the government to reveal the mastermind behind gold smuggling activities, as only the vehicles and drivers involved have been apprehended. He noted the seizure of a large quantity of illegal gold in Rasuwa on Sunday and urged the government to legislate on the deployment of women as housemaids.
Additionally, Manish Jha called for measures to restore public confidence in the judiciary, while Madhav Sapkota demanded resolutions for Guthi issues affecting farmers in Sindhupalchowk due to 146 types of Guthi. Maina Karki advocated for budget allocations to promote herbs and organic agro products, emphasizing their significance to Karnali Province.
Other lawmakers, including Rama Koirala, Ram Shankar Yadav, Mahesh Basnet, Metmani Chaudhary, Menaka Kumari Pokhrel, and others, also addressed contemporary issues, urging the government to act.
In a separate ‘special hour’ session, CPN (UML) Chief Whip Mahesh Kumar Bartuala emphasized the need to prioritize the contribution-based social security scheme. He called for steps to integrate nearly 4 million informal sector workers into the social security fund through contributions collected from both workers and the government, fostering self-reliance and employment.
Ashok Kumar Chaudhary of the Rastriya Swatantra Party urged the government to tackle the economic crisis, provide relief to debtors, regulate bank practices, and generate employment opportunities within the country. Meanwhile, Durga Rai of CPN (Maoist Centre) criticized the government’s policies and budget allocation for failing to focus on socialism, particularly neglecting indigenous tribes, women, Dalits, and marginalized communities.