Oppn MPs seek clarity on SPP withdrawal

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, July 21: Parliamentarians from the main opposition CPN-UML have sought an answer from the government regarding the rejection of the State Partnership Program (SPP) and demanded that the letter sent to US on this issue should be made public in both the Houses of Federal Parliament. 

Participating in the House session on Wednesday, the opposition parliamentarians demanded an answer regarding the government's withdrawal of the State Partnership Program (SPP) and revelation of correspondences made with the United States.

They suspected that the US program was a part of Indo-Pacific Strategy and the government should publish the answers sent to the US regarding the withdrawal of the programme. 

Bhim Rawal, former Defence Minister and a senior leader of the UML, said that the government should publish an answer received from the US regarding SPP in the House of Representatives. "We are clear, the government is clear and the minister committed to withdrawing from SPP, and still why is the lingering in corresponding on such serious matter?" he said. 

He demanded an answer why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not send a letter about the return of the SPP even weeks after government decided not to accept the programme. Not only Rawal but also other MPs of UML and Prem Suwal of Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party sought clarifications on the matter in the Lower House. However, the MPs of the ruling alliance stood in favour of the government during the House session. 

Also in the National Assembly, UML leader Bhairav Sundar Shrestha demanded an answer regarding the withdrawal of the State Partnership Program (SPP) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

MP Bimala Rai Paudel also mentioned that the Council of Ministers had decided not to join the SPP and that they would write a letter to the US through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She said that the government should clarify the House as to why there was a delay in writing a letter regarding the rejection of the SPP. She mentioned the fact that political parties and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were unaware of the recent draft of the SPP and expressed doubts about the role of high-ranking officers of the army.

Parliamentarian Prakash Panth pointed out that there is a big problem in the implementation of the law and emphasized the need for monitoring the implementation aspect.

Meanwhile, the Lower House endorsed two bills-- Bill on Engineering Council (1st Amendment) and Bill on Elderly Citizen (1st Amendment) on Wednesday. Physical Infrastructure Minister Mohammad Istiyak Rai and Women Children and Elderly Citizen Minister Uma Regmi respectively tabled the bills seeking their endorsement. 

The Engineering Council Bill includes a provision of getting licence for the profession. 

The Upper House also endorsed 'Madan Bhandari Science and Technology University Bill, 2076' on Wednesday. The Bill, which was received with a message from the House of Representatives, was passed unanimously. Devendra Paudel, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, presented the proposal in the meeting.