Kathmandu. Honorable President, on behalf of the Government of Nepal, I express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to you for your address to the joint meeting of both Houses of the Federal Parliament on 19th Baisakh, 2082.
I express my gratitude for the constructive suggestions received from the honorable members through comments and amendment proposals on the policies and programs presented by the government.
The current government, in creating this equation, had two main objectives –
First – To remove the deep despair prevailing in the country and instill hope and enthusiasm among the people,
Second – To move the country towards rapid economic growth.
The presented policies and programs will focus on fulfilling these objectives. And, the policies and programs are based on 10 core policies.
Mr. Speaker,
Social revolutions are caused by conflicts between classes in society. The issue of who will rule and who will be ruled is not a today’s issue, but is a matter linked to thousands of years of human civilization. The powerful class that controls ‘resources and means’ has always maintained dominance over the classes that do not have access to the means of production. Only after one economic class has established its dominance over another, the movements and struggles for change have stopped. Earlier, the revolution that destroyed the feudal system in Europe was led by the bourgeoisie with the help of the working class. The kings and queens either reached an agreement to accept the system or fled – they were eliminated.
In the subsequent changes, there was a conflict between the working class and the capitalist class, and the system of governance changed. This process continued.
In our country, three types of tendencies have existed as ideologies since the beginning. On the one hand, the feudal tendency based on lineage/tradition, and on the other hand, two other tendencies supporting democracy. When the latter two tendencies broke away, the rule of the former was prolonged, and when they united, a system in line with the expectations of the people could be established.
For more than a thousand years, tyrants, kings/royals of various names have been exploiting the resources and property of our country and exercising dictatorial rule over the people. The feudal system of the Shah dynasty for the last two and a half centuries has become a hindrance to the progress of the country.
We brought the question of maintaining, modifying or eliminating the unelected, family and lineage-based ‘institution’ or ‘system’ to a conclusion through the changes of 2062/63, institutionalized it through the constitution issued in 2072 BS. We rejected any kind of backward and regressive system based on caste superiority or lineage tradition. We established a democratic republic based on federalism.
At present, ‘cash-out’ the disappointment created due to political instability, not only to revive the feudal system that has been thrown into the dustbin of history by our sacrifices and centuries-long struggle, but also to spread illusions such as appointing a specific date and placing someone on the throne and overthrowing the monarchy, violent and anarchic activities have begun against the constitution and the system.
The proposed policy and program contains a commitment to protect the constitution and strengthen the federal democratic republican governance system. The determination to oppose any kind of reactionary-resurgent anarchic activities against this has been expressed.
I believe that this esteemed House will be united in the presented policy of not allowing the people’s sacrifices to go to waste and of protecting and promoting the achievements made.
During the formation of the government, it was promised to review the constitution, strengthen its strengths and correct the shortcomings seen during its implementation. Therefore, the government is committed to the policy of moving the amendment process forward on the basis of consensus. Our efforts to ensure policy stability by continuing political stability in the policy of healthy competition, mutual dialogue, cooperation and coexistence between parties will continue.
Mr. Speaker,
We all know that the government is an institution with continuous succession. Being an institution with continuous succession, when the government makes its policies public, it continues, should continue and has continued the constitutional and legal but relevant policies and programs started by the previous government. Some honorable members I request you to understand the comment ‘Presented policy program – same and the same’ in this context.
Again, the formation of another government in place of one government, the replacement of the previous equation with a new equation is also a ‘course correction’ or change in politics and policy programs. I request you to take the question ‘What about the previous one?’ asked by the honorable ones after looking at the policies or programs that have been removed according to the changed ‘course’ in this context.
Policy says a lot in a few words. Therefore, in the context of ‘What’s new?’ I would like to ask you to briefly discuss some aspects presented in the policy program.
While addressing this esteemed House on 6th July last year, I had commented on our development work method, which always seems to be in progress but never finished, by saying ‘Work in progress!’. I had mentioned the contradiction between the limited resources we have and the rapid strides we have had to make in development. I had mentioned that we cannot move forward without changing our pattern, slow pace and ‘work in progress’ culture of development. I had mentioned that we should be clear about where to invest the limited resources we have and what results we will achieve from it. Therefore, the proposal to change the pattern, pace and culture of development to improve the shortcomings and weaknesses that have emerged in the course of development in the presented policy and program is new. The commitment to adopt it in practice is also new.
As the saying goes, ‘What comes is digested with pleasure’, We should not indulge in that, but rather continue with what is useful as much as possible and abandon what is irrelevant. Therefore, it has been proposed to re-prioritize all infrastructure projects announced by various governments in the past.
Under the declared policy of completing the work that has been started, the policy of reviewing projects of national pride, classifying ongoing projects as ‘to be completed in the financial year 2082/83 and to be completed within this period of the House of Representatives’ and completing them within the determined schedule is new. The policy of estimating the necessary resources for all projects under construction and to be constructed, postponing projects that are unlikely to be completed, and even rejecting flawed projects is new.
When developing a new infrastructure development project, the policy of developing a ‘business plan’ that includes the interests of stakeholders such as the assessment of “feasibility, risk, and return” and the interests of investors and lenders such as “cash flow, risk mitigation, and legal security” before expressing a commitment of capital is new. Whether it is a startup or entrepreneurship, when starting an entrepreneurship in any field, the policy to take into account the ‘cycle from starting a business to the market’, that is, the ‘ecosystem of the business’ is new.
For example, by restructuring the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Program, a policy has been put forward to create a cycle of land bank-finance, equipment and other inputs-management of crop insurance-its support price-advance purchase agreement of agricultural produce-market management and storage for those coming into business. I would like to clarify to the honorable members that the policy to prevent wastage of resources by re-managing fertilizers, electricity and other capital subsidies is new.
There is no ‘confusion’ in the policy program as to which sector should be developed as the main driver of economic growth. ‘Agriculture and forestry, information and technology, tourism, energy, industry and physical infrastructure’ have been designated as the main sectors. The focus of the startup program – which can be of any genre and which focuses on today’s youth generation – the ‘Gen-G’ generation – has been proposed.
The policy proposed is to focus programs run by government agencies on entrepreneurship development, production, productivity and employment creation, and to commercialize agriculture and build infrastructure through cooperation, coordination and collaboration between the three levels of government.
Using interns in government services from local to central levels,
Attaching students above the graduation level to various research institutions,
Implementing the ‘earning-studying’ policy by fixing the minimum wage for a maximum of 20 hours of work per week,
The use of ‘interns’ in government services, this policy is new. ‘Earning-studying’ is not new in the slogan, it is also new in the context of a concrete plan.
A policy has been put forward to prepare a new roadmap for the National Education Reform Program and to make education accessible, quality and useful for life. The existing education system will be made modern, science-technology-friendly and research-oriented. The policy to improve school education by implementing a grading system is new.
The proposed policy to move low-grading towards employment-friendly technical/vocational education and high-grading towards higher education will make education entrepreneurship-friendly. The shortage of skilled labor in the labor sector and the situation of unskilled labor remaining in reserve will end. For this, comprehensive reforms will be made in the current curriculum, learning and teaching methods. The policy to increase income-generating opportunities by establishing a teacher bank, coordinating and operating think tank organizations and creating internal employment through entrepreneurship is undoubtedly new.
The proposed policy to implement an integrated project bank system to eliminate duplication between the federal, provincial and local levels in development programs is new. This will create an environment for the coordinated implementation of development programs of the common rights list of the federal, provincial and local levels mentioned in the constitution.
The proposal for a new health system based on population, geography and disease burden will make health services accessible and accessible. This will eliminate the imbalance between service providers, hospitals, doctors, health manpower, equipment and service recipients along with the expansion of health infrastructure.
The policy to connect all public hospitals to an integrated online service and to link all health-related assistance and concessional programs to the integrated health insurance system will make the restructured health insurance program sustainable.
Mr. Speaker,
A policy has been proposed to abolish, merge, and transfer unnecessary structures to prevent wasteful spending. To make public services more effective, the policy of developing the Citizen App as the main digital tool for providing services and making all services online as much as possible is new.
This time, the policy and program have been prepared on the basis of a dozen reports, including the report of the High-Level Economic Reforms and Suggestions Commission. The reports themselves are important, and I am confident that their implementation will play an important role in good governance.
The following acts are essential for the implementation of our policies, and I would also like to humbly request this esteemed House to pass the pending bills as soon as possible.
Bill on Alternative Development Finance Mobilization
Federal Civil Service Bills related to services
Bills to amend and consolidate the laws related to Nepal Police and Armed Police Force Nepal
School Education Bill
Bills to establish and manage the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority
Bills to amend and consolidate the laws related to Nepal Civil Aviation Authority
The government will develop strong and balanced international relations by keeping national independence, sovereignty and geographical integrity and the paramount interests of the nation of Nepal and the Nepali people at the center.
Mr. Speaker,
Your Excellencies have made suggestions and proposed amendments to some of the policy and program issues. I hope that my presentation will clarify the views expressed that there are some aspects that are unclear, some issues are repeated, and some issues are not included. The government’s attention has been drawn to the issues raised during the discussion and the proposed amendments. I am confident that the suggestions received from the honorable members in the implementation of the policy and program of the FY 2082/83 will further help the government in moving towards its destination.
The government will prioritize the issues raised by the honorable members and gradually address them in the coming days, keeping in mind the available resources.
It is natural for honorable members to feel that all the topics should have been included in the policy and program to cover all sectors. This time, all sectors have been covered in the policy and program. I would also like to reiterate the policy of making the youth entrepreneurial through startups, creating employment opportunities, and opening the door for students to enter government service internships along with their studies. Since the policy and program has been brought with a special place and role for the ‘Gen-G’ generation, you will find that its shape and language have broken tradition.
I hope that this will pave the way for the youth who are confused by fake accounts on social media to generate new vitality and energy in building their future.
The policy and program has briefly and symbolically covered all sectors. The issues raised by the honorable members will be included in the budget in detail. Therefore, programs of the nature that are included in the budget statement have not been mentioned in it.
The policy and program is also clear regarding solving the existing problems of cooperatives. It has been mentioned that a new national policy will be issued after reviewing the cooperative policy and that the problems of the cooperative sector will be solved through the National Cooperative Regulatory Authority. The policy and program also includes the establishment of a fund through the Cooperative Regulatory Authority to provide immediate relief to small savers of troubled cooperatives.
Regarding making forests a source of employment, production, and national capital formation, the policy and program includes programs related to forest management, including strengthening the management of community forests and making proper use of forest-based resources, ensuring environmental safety of national parks and protected forest areas, operating national priority projects, and integrated watershed management.
The policy and program has already mentioned the issues raised by the honorable members regarding climate change to be addressed through the Sagarmatha Dialogue. Nepal’s forests, water resources, and mountains are contributing to balancing global temperatures.
It is necessary to continuously raise awareness in the world to reduce the risk of major disasters due to carbon emissions in the Himalayas. Nepal will engage in dialogue, debate and advocacy for appropriate compensation, climate finance and green finance from carbon-emitting countries. The Sagarmatha Dialogue based on the Mountain Economy will be internationalized.
The topics of programs that will yield results in the fields of physical infrastructure and tourism are included in this policy and program.
Similarly, it has been mentioned that public and private investment in the field of physical infrastructure will be promoted for high and sustainable economic growth and emphasis will be placed on the construction of modern technological infrastructure such as tunnels, expressways and overpasses.
This government has implemented the policy of rapid road expansion: the basis of development infrastructure, and has focused on the construction of infrastructure such as national highways of Asian standard level, highway construction, road lane expansion, tunnel construction, etc.
Development projects that have been initiated should not remain in a distorted state of being incomplete for years. No one is exempt from this. This government has taken the initiative in addressing issues such as resource assurance, land acquisition, tree felling, obstruction, compensation, legal issues in projects and refined and modified the pace and culture of development.
Earlier, the government under my leadership had started projects such as one strategic road per constituency across the country, construction of a well-equipped hospital in each local level, road expansion for north-south connectivity, and north-south highway projects along the river banks.
Today, unprecedented work has been done in the construction of the Madan Bhandari Highway, the Postal Highway and the Mid-Hill Highway. Despite the voices of opposition, the country has entered the era of tunnel roads.
When I came to power, the Narayangadh-Butwal road was in a state of non-construction and the contract had to be terminated. Construction was at a standstill. Today, more than 62 percent of the work has been completed on both the eastern and western sections of the road at this time. 41 general bridges and 7 main bridges have been constructed. Work is being carried out at a rapid pace on the Daunne section to ensure regular movement even before the rains. Currently, citizens are suffering in that section. This suffering will certainly not last for many days, I appeal to everyone to be patient for some time. The contract for the construction of the Butwal-Gorusinghe-Chandrauta road, which has been in limbo for a long time, has been signed.
Why am I mentioning the names of these roads when the government’s policies and programs are being discussed? Because we need to complete development projects within the specified time frame while making policies. And, the attention we have paid to that this year has also been discussed above.
My attention has been drawn to the issue raised by the honorable gentlemen regarding employment. This policy and program will create employment by developing entrepreneurship within the country.
I have already discussed the issue raised by the honorable gentlemen regarding school sector reforms.
I have spoken sufficiently above about the foundations of prosperity and happiness in formal forums and informal places. Prosperity should be measured by the living standards of the backward classes, women, children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, gender and sexual minorities, who consider themselves to be below, and not by the classes above, who are enjoying opportunities. The government’s policy program has embraced that.
I would like to thank you for accepting the amendment proposals received from the honorable gentlemen on the presented policy and program as considerate suggestions. I would also like to assure you that those suggestions will be included in the annual budget statement to be presented in this esteemed parliament on the upcoming 15th of Jestha. (Speech by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the House of Representatives)
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्