Budget session commences, Speaker Ghimire urges lawmakers for making urgent laws soon

Kathmandu, April 25: Speaker Devraj Ghimire has underscored the need to enact the urgent laws as soon as possible to address the voices of discontent.     

In a brief address to the Parliament on the commencement of the Sixth Session of the House of Representatives today, the House Speaker stressed the need for a common commitment of all to finalize the laws to be framed by the parliament as soon as possible. "The main responsibility of the parliament is to make laws," he said, stressing that timely making of laws help address the voices of dissatisfaction.     

Stating that the Parliament is a place to represent the voice of the people, Speaker Ghimire said that national issues would be debated in the parliament and decisions taken as per people's wishes.     

He expressed the belief that the budget session of the House of Representatives that began today would be successful in formulating laws along with the government's policies and programmes. According to him, strengthening democracy, good governance, accountability and building the people-responsive governance would be tenable only by enhancing the effectiveness of the parliament.     

'Delayed law-making behind public disenchantment'     

On the occasion, Chief Whip of the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party, Shyam Kumar Ghimire, said the problems were increasing due to the delayed law-making. Addressing a meeting of the House of Representatives, he said many of the problems seen in the country had arisen due to the protracted law making process.     

Ghimire said, "If we do not implement the law-making process within the stipulated time frame, the problem will up and entangled with more difficulties." The teachers' movement, the government employees' warning, the doctors' movement have all been caused due to procedural delays in the formulation of the law. So it is important to be sensitive toward these pressing issues, he reminded.     

CPN (Maoist Centre) lawmaker Barshaman Pun said that the Prime Minister and ministers should make their assets public. He objected to the fact that the assets were not made public even for 10 months after the formation of the government. Speaking on party lines in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, Deputy General Secretary of the Maoist Centre Pun accused the incumbent government of failing to remove the frustration and dissatisfaction of the general public.     

He said the government was retaliating against the opposition parties. Lawmaker Pun said that the constitution amendment process mentioned during the formation of the government could not move forward.     

Likewise, CPN (UML) Secretary and lawmaker Gokarna Raj Bista has said that the ongoing session of parliament should be focused on fulfilling the aspirations of the citizens for development and prosperity. He stressed the need for the political parties and the government to work in a way to address the dissatisfaction of the citizens while maintaining the dignity of the parliament.     

Describing parliament as a place to exercise people's sovereignty, Bista said the parliament should be run in a restrained and decent manner. "If the parliament can work in such a way that it can create hope among the citizens, it will be respect for the values and beliefs of democracy," he said, adding that the current session should be made result-oriented by learning lessons from the previous sessions in the parliament.     

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Dol Prasad Aryal drew the attention of the government to identify the national issues and resolve the problems related to the daily life of the citizens. Speaking in the special hour of the House of Representatives meeting, he urged the government to focus on making the government's policies and programmes and budget realistic and resolving the problems of the people in the annual session.     

Suggesting the government making budget for education, health and employment generation, Aryal asked the government to take care of social justice and inclusion. He stressed the need of making arrangements to cut unproductive expenditure, curb corruption and promote good governance.     

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Rajendra Prasad Lingden stressed the need to bring the budget for the upcoming fiscal year to improve the fragile economy. Speaking in the first meeting of the ongoing session of the House of Representatives, Chairman Lingden stressed emphasized the budget that pays heed to need rather than to power and accessibility.     

"The situation of making budgets from the leaders' 'pockets' and scattering money only to their constituencies should end. The situation of tearing up the budget booklet and protesting should end," he stressed.     

The RPP has reiterated its demand for the formation of a judicial commission to conduct an inquiry into the incident that took place at Tinkune, Kathmandu on March 28. He alleged that there was repression from the government rather than from the protesters during the incident.(RSS)