By Ranju Kafle
Kathmandu, May 16: The government’s policy and programme for the fiscal year 2020/21 was unveiled in the joint session of the Federal Parliament on Friday.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari presented the document in her three-and-a-half-hour address in the House.
The government has targeted to maintain border security, recover economic growth, manage labour market and ensure basic health and education rights of the people through socialism-oriented budget in the next year. “Nobody will have to die due to poverty or food shortage, the government will ensure food for all,” said the President.
President Bhandari expressed satisfaction over the government’s performance and said that its clear vision of prosperity had shown results. “The government has been able to gain encouraging achievements in its two years’ term,” she said.
President Bhandari also said that the achievement of the government had built a strong foundation for the journey towards realising ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis’.
The government has committed to publishing a new political map covering all its territories of the western border. “The government will publish its new political map covering Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura in it,” said the President.
The government said that it would continue its diplomatic efforts to bring back the land of Limpiyadhura and observe all border points.
The policy document has committed to prioritising health, education, employment and fiscal resurrection packages for the year for growth recovery. “Economy was rapidly growing in last two years, and the clear priority will play roles on quick recovery,” she said.
Ensuring basic rights of health and education and managing labour markets are also priorities of the government. “Migrant labourers and youth will be attracted to production sectors like agriculture with attractive packages,” read the document.
Besides the fear of COVID-19 pandemic, the lawmakers, leaders, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, top leaders of different political parties, high-ranking government officials, chief of constitutional bodies, and chief of Nepal Army were present in the Parliament during the joint session.
However, unlike in the past, leaders of private sectors, diplomats and others did not attend the joint session.
Meanwhile, the leaders have expressed mixed reactions on the document. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda, chair of ruling NCP, said that the document covered everything needed for the country. “The government of my own party has presented this document and I support this,” he said.
NC leader and former minister Minendra Rijal was, however, unhappy with the document. He said that the government failed to set its priorities. “The document is distracted from its goals. Such a lengthy essay cannot identify solutions to the present problems,” he said.
Earlier, a Secretariat meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) had discussed the policy and programme of the government for the fiscal year 2020/21 in a meeting called by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at his residence in Baluwatar.
According to party spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha, the meeting dwelled on the policy and programme of the government for the fiscal year 2020/21.
Answering a query of journalists regarding the standing committee meeting, spokesperson Shrestha said the Secretariat meeting didn’t discussed the standing committee meeting.