Prime Minister Dahal counts his government’s achievements; vows to amend Govt.’s working style

Kathmandu / Dec. 26: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday boasted about works done by his government since he took charge a year ago. In the televised address to the nation, the prime minister spent much time counting his government’s achievements and work.

The prime minister said various works related to hydropower generation and power trade have been accomplished during the period. He said Nepal and China agreed to construct the 220kV Kerung-Rasuwagadhi-Chilime power line with a Chinese grant during his visit, adding the transmission line will open doors for power trade with the northern neighbour.

A total of 776.61 km of blacktopped and 587.5 km of gravelled roads were constructed during the past year, the prime minister said.

The prime minister said the foreign currency reserves have increased to a record high after he took charge of the office, state-owned enterprises have started making profits and inflation decreased.

The prime minister also listed an increase in remittance inflows and tourist arrivals, a visit by the United Nations Secretary General and an increase in the minimum wage of workers as achievements of his government.

Prime Minister Dahal said legal, policy and procedural complexities of infrastructure development will be solved based on a work schedule and timetable.

The prime minister said he is going to change the structure of the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The prime minister, however, did not mention what structural changes he was going to make.

“I am changing the structure of the Prime Minister’s Office this week. It will be a sign and a message for the entire state,” said Dahal.

The Prime Minister pledged not to spend time attending programmes except those pre-scheduled and unavoidable, adding he will be involved in formulating new policies and programmes and budget. The prime minister said it is high time to take steps to overcome hindrances to development and good governance.

Scope of health insurance will be expanded, says PM Prachanda

Prime Minister ‘Prachanda’ has announced to expand the scope of health insurance.

Prime Minister Prachanda said the insurance scheme has not proceeded according to the spirit of the National Health Insurance Act introduced during his previous tenure in 2074.

But the current government will improve it to realize the constitutional right of citizens to health with a high priority, he said. For this, policy and procedural reforms for the effective implementation of insurance, capacity building of the insurance board, strong monitoring and evaluation mechanism, increasing in the scope of insurance coverage and comprehensive improvement in the structure and quality of services, he informed that the government is taking care of the insurance.

The Prime Minister also expressed the commitment to increase the current ceiling in insurance coverage, while all the free health programs will be included in the health insurance in an integrated manner.

With a focus on health insurance, the health system will be development according to the integrated health infrastructure development standards, he said.

PM vows to amend style of annual policy, programme and budget

Prime Minister ‘Prachanda’ has announced a shift in the ongoing style of the government’s annual policy and programme, and budget from the upcoming fiscal year.

The Prime Minister admitted that traditional style of policy and programme could not bring about results and added that a new style would be embraced.

Prime Minister Prachanda argued that the traditional way of budget making has failed to allocate budget to the priority projects and make true estimates on expenditure, leading to direct impact on capital expenditure. “I plan to move ahead in a new style by changing the system of policy making and budget preparation,” he added.

Prachanda also shared that the principles and priorities of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year would be made public in February and the feedback from the people’s representatives and general public would be taken on it.

He stated that policy, structural and legal measures would be taken with the target to obtain double-digit economic growth rate.

The Prime Minister was of the view that the government is making the best possible efforts despite the journey to development and prosperity so far was not satisfactory.

In his address, the Prime Minister said that he would not make claim about the complete success of his government but announced that he would change the government’s working style with this concern and self-review.

Similarly, the Prime Minister made the announcement that he would not attend any of the public events except for some prescheduled and compulsory ones and added that his focus would be on new policy and programme, budget preparation, and resolve the issues in the areas of development and good-governance. “This will be a departure to change the government’s working style. I am making changes to the structure of the Office of the Prime Minister this week,” Prachanda stated.

Government will change its style of working: Prime Minister

Prime Minister ‘Prachanda’ has said that the government shall change its style of working.

He said that the legal, policy and procedural complexities of infrastructure development will be solved based on a work schedule and timetable.

He also announced making structural changes in the Prime Minister’s Office, to give an indication of the way forward. “Though the government did not fail but the outcome is not as per my willingness to deliver during this term,” he said while pledging to self-assess on the basis of not about how much the country has achieved but how much it could have achieved.

The Prime Minister pledged not to spend time in attending to programmes except that are already pre-scheduled and unavoidable. “I have come to conclusion to start working on the new policy and programme, and the budget, while addressing the problems in development and governance,” he said. This will be the starting of changing the working style of the government.

Pointing out complications in clearing hurdles in infrastructure development, including in using forest land and land acquisition, he said. “I will put an end to the tendency of obstructing the country’s development by pointing fingers at one another. I believe that if needed infrastructure development should be given top priority even by declaring an emergency,”

Coming decade will be a decade of rapid development: PM Prachanda

Prime Minister ‘Prachanda’ has said that the coming decade will be a decade of rapid development.

Prime Minister Prachanda said at least two shifts working model will be guaranteed in infrastructure development to be carried out in a ‘barrack model’. “Development will be carried out in a way that the citizens could feel it.”

Outlining the achievements of the previous year in the field of infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said 776.61 kilometers of black-topped roads were constructed along with 587.5 kilometers of gravel road. Another 181.29 kilometers of new tracks have been opened.

Stating that the under-construction Narayangadh-Butwal or the Muglin-Pokhara road sections could be taken as an example, Prachanda said negative comments are being made by the public because the projects are not completed on time, which not only lead to increased cost but also inflict a lot of suffering on the people.”

Government will focus on economic growth and employment

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said that the government will target its focus on economic growth and generation of employment.

PM Prachanda said that economic growth and employment generation will be the top priority for the government.RSS