Foreign Affairs Minister informs Parliament of Indian PM’s Nepal visit; Lower House passes four ordinances

Kathmandu / May 9: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has informed the Parliament of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled state visit to Nepal, today.

Indian PM Modi is visiting Nepal on May 11 at the friendly invitation of his Nepali counterpart KP Sharma Oli.

Indian PM Modi is scheduled to call on Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun on May 11, he said.

He is also slated to meet with his Nepali counterpart Oli the same day, and both of them will discuss issues on each other’s mutual relations, and they will jointly lay the foundation stone for Arun III Hydropower Project, he said.

According to Modi’s visit schedule, he will also visit historic Janakpur, Muktinath and will have a civic felicitation in Kathmandu and Janakpur.

Both the government executive heads will jointly inaugurate Ramayan Circuit in Janakpur.

Lower House passes four ordinances

Meanwhile, a meeting of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Federal Parliament, today endorsed the ‘National Assembly Members Election Ordinance- 2075’ with majority.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Sher Bahadur Tamang presented the ordinance on behalf Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa for approval.

Likewise, ‘National Medical Education Ordinance, 2075’ and the ‘Commission on Investigation into the Enforced Disappeared Persons, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (first amendment) Ordinance- 2075’ were also passed by the meeting with majority. Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giri Rajmani Pokharel and Minister Tamang presented the bills before the meeting.

The ordinance related to remunerations, terms and conditions of services and facilities of the general secretary of Federal Parliament, secretary of the House of Representatives Secretariat and secretary of the National Assembly Secretariat presented by Minister Tamang was also passed by the meeting with majority.

‘Budget to focus on economic prosperity’

Likewise, Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada has apprised the National Assembly (NA) that the upcoming budget would align the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Minister Khatiwada said this while presenting a motion ‘Principles and Priorities of Appropriation Bill for the Budget (excluding tax proposal) of Fiscal Year 2075-76 BS ” at National Assembly.

The government’s top priority is to implement the constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights of the citizens and attain rapid economic growth, he said, adding, “Next budget will be focused on reducing poverty and attaining economic prosperity”.

Among the priorities of the budget for next year are puire drinking water, access to basic health services, health insurance for all, elimination of illiteracy, public education, new employment opportunities, capacity building of labourers and tourism development.

He further shared that other priorities would be post-earthquake reconstruction and expansion of social security range. RSS