House approves Archive Protection Bill

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, June 28: The House of Representatives passed the Archive Protection (First Amendment) Bill, 2024 on Thursday. 

The Bill was tabled by the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Hit Bahadur Tamang. The amendment has been made to modernise the Records Protection Act, 1989, addressing current and technical issues related to record protection in Nepal.

The session included a general discussion on the report from the International Relations and Tourism Committee regarding the Bill, which originated in the National Assembly. 

During Thursday’s special session, parliamentarians brought various issues to the government's attention. They included the challenges faced by farmers, victims of cooperatives and the necessity of maintaining transparency in ambassadorial appointments.

Lawmaker Gokul Prasad Baskota highlighted the ongoing issues faced by farmers, particularly the delayed payments to milk farmers, who have not received Rs. 5 billion. He criticised the government for failing to provide compensation to the farmers whose livestock were affected by Lumpy Skin infection. He also called for prioritising agricultural modernisation.

Parliamentarian Bikram Pandey expressed condolences to those affected by monsoon-related incidents, which resulted in significant loss of life and property. He requested the government to provide adequate relief and compensation to the victims and address the ongoing challenges faced by farmers, including the lack of seeds and fertilisers.

Lawmaker Devendra Paudel stressed the need to discourage last-minute budget expenditure and urged all ministries and agencies to ensure effective budget implementation. He also called for comprehensive disaster prevention and management mechanisms to mitigate risks and provide timely relief and rescue.

MP Narayan Prakash Saud emphasised the importance of appointing ambassadors transparently to uphold the country's prestige internationally. He urged the government to take ambassadorial appointments seriously.

MP Chanda Karki Bhandari advocated for the protection of children, addressing issues such as child marriage and labour. She called for strict implementation of laws against child marriage and urged the government to develop special plans to save children from abuse.

MP Sarvendranath Shukla called for a budget allocation based on development indices to prevent obstacles to development. MP Prem Suwal emphasised the need to align the BRI project with national interests and benefits and called for steps to improve Nepal Airlines Corporation.

MP Chitra Bahadur KC supported the MCC and BRI projects, focusing on national development. MP Prabhu Sah demanded an end to business in the name of education in government-affiliated colleges and urged action against irregularities in the education sector.

MP Anita Devi Sah highlighted the recurrent loss of life and property due to monsoon disasters, particularly in Kanchanpur and Rupani Rural Municipality. She urged the government to implement effective disaster preparedness measures.

MP Rekha Yadav reported the loss of lives due to monsoon disasters in Koshi Province and across the country. She urged the government to provide relief to the affected individuals.

MP Yogendra Mandal demanded relief for those affected by heavy rains in Morang and Sunsari districts, which caused substantial property damage and flooding. 

Parliamentarian Rajendra Bajgai demanded the submission of the BRI project's MOU document in Parliament.

MP Thakur Gaire criticised the traditional approach to budget discussions and called for resolving disagreements over the budget. MP Dr. Tosima Karki urged the government to ensure the safety of health workers by declaring health institutions peace zones.

MP Dinesh Kumar Yadav highlighted increased flooding in Koshi and Madhes provinces and demanded compensation for the affected farmers. MP Achyut Prasad Mainali called for effective coordination among all government levels for long-term monsoon disaster management.

Parliamentarian Rama Koirala urged the government to provide relief and compensation for disaster-related losses and enhance natural disaster management capabilities. MP Ishwari Gharti questioned why government-invested public institutions continually incur losses and called for addressing these issues.

MP Javeda Khatun Zaga emphasised solving the chemical fertiliser shortage problems faced by farmers in the Tarai. MP Lal Prasad Sanwa Limbu called for addressing the demands of the crusher and mining industry and gold and silver industry businessmen.

MP Urmila Thebe reported landslide-related deaths in Taplejung and urged the government to provide effective relief and rehabilitation. MP Basudev Ghimire called for legal action against corruption to facilitate national development and prosperity. Thursday’s House of Representatives meeting also approved changes made to several joint and thematic committees. Speaker Devraj Ghimire proposed these changes, which the House endorsed. 

In the National Assembly, Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun presented the 'Appropriation Bill, 2023,' outlining budget allocations for the fiscal year. The Bill aims to authorise spending from the Federal Reserve Fund for various services and works. The National Assembly also discussed the need to end the Chhaupadi system, which endangers girls.

Lawmakers condemned a recent rape incident involving a girl in Chhaupadi and called for justice and the immediate abolition of the practice. They criticised the state's lack of interest in addressing people's problems, citing issues like the reconstruction of earthquake-damaged houses in Jajarkot.