Kathmandu: Lawmakers have raised critical concerns with the government, focusing on urgent contemporary issues such as the need for improved drinking water and irrigation facilities, the provision of fertilizers, and the complete eradication of the ‘chhaupadi’ tradition.
According to National News Agency Nepal, during the zero-hour session of the House of Representatives, legislators pressed the government to ensure timely completion of various construction projects within the fiscal year, streamline health insurance programs, and take decisive action to dismantle chhau huts nationwide to eliminate the chhaupadi practice.
Dilendra Prasad Badu emphasized the importance of initiating bidding processes at the start of the fiscal year to facilitate timely completion of construction activities. Thakur Gaire highlighted the ongoing risks associated with Palpa’s Siddhababa tunnel route construction and urged the government, through the Speaker, to expedite its completion. The Siddhababa Project currently reports a physical progress of 57.51 percent and a financial progress of 51.1 percent.
Durga Rai pointed out the absence of a Women Coordination Committee, as required by the House of Representatives Regulations, and called for its immediate formation. Devendra Paudel drew attention to the obstructed road sections in Baglung and the mid-hill highway due to landslides, urging the swift progression of the Uttarganga Hydropower Project. He also critiqued the Health Insurance Board’s decision that has left citizens traveling long distances to access health insurance services, advocating for more accessible facilities.
Pushpa Bahadur Shah voiced concerns over recent flood damage in Rasuwa and demanded effective measures against menstrual discrimination and the cessation of residing in isolation huts during menstruation. Purna Bahadur Gharti called for transparency in the visit visa scam, while Prakash Jwala criticized the government’s lack of progress in promoting good governance and combating corruption over the past year.
Pratiksha Tiwari highlighted the inconvenience faced by physically incapacitated and senior citizens due to the requirement for beneficiaries to appear in person for social security allowance renewals, urging the Home Minister to simplify the renewal process. Prabhu Hajara called for reliable supplies of drinking water, irrigation, and fertilizers.
Basudev Ghimire stressed the need for quality construction work within set deadlines, while Bimala Subedi condemned the recent death of a menstruating woman in an isolation hut in Kanchanpur due to a snake bite, labeling it as ‘shameful’ and demanding the elimination of such practices, prevalent in the Karnali and Sudur Paschim provinces.