Kathmandu, March 13: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has called on all sides to stand at one place for resolving the problems facing the nation.
PM Dahal said this while addressing the House of Representatives prior to seeking a vote of confidence today. On the occasion, he stressed on the need of maintaining national unity for achieving the opportunities before the nation.
“I repeat here even amid various allegations that in my capacity as the Prime Minister, I am committed for consensus, collaboration and mutual trust, and not for negation, dishonor and retribution,” said the PM, adding, “We all have ownership and share in the present power appropriation. The President is from the Nepali Congress background, the Vice President is from the Janata Samajbadi Party, the Speaker is from the CPN (UML) background, the National Assembly Chair is from the Maoist Centre background and the Deputy Speaker is from the Rastriya Swatantra Party background.”
Stating that he has e decisive role in this ‘respectable’ representation of all, Prime Minister Dahal said and he takes pride in this.
Parliament is not place for trading personal accusation: PM
PM Dahal said the sovereign parliament is not the proper place for exchange of personal accusation and counter-accusations.
“Although the reconstitution of the government is only a political process, some colleagues of the Nepali Congress made a non-political interpretation of this process and leveled personal slur and attack on me. I did not want to hit back at the allegations, but my principle was and is that this sovereign parliament is not an appropriate place for trading personal accusations and counter-accusations.”
Stating that he wanted to put some views from his side in the House thinking that not denying the allegations that are in the parliament’s record itself would send the wrong message, PM Dahal reminded that the Nepali Congress had at one time described his as a statesman from the rostrum of the parliament.
Economic indicators gradually improving: PM Dahal
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said the country’s economic indicators are on a positive trajectory due to the consistent efforts.
Making a statement prior to seeking a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives today, he said he has been continuously working since the beginning for improving the economy and made it clear that most of the economic indicators have improved in the latest situation.
“The balance of payment is in reserve by 297 billion and 720 million in the seven months’ period of the current fiscal year. The foreign exchange reserve has increased by 19.9 percent and reached nearly equivalent to Rs 1 trillion and 845 billion,” the PM said, adding that the trade deficit has reduced by 1.8 percent. He further said the inflation has been limited to 5.1 percent in the seven months’ period and the loan disbursement has increased by 4.7 percent.
“It is not that the government cannot interpret the existing economic condition as a big achievement, but the expected progress has not been made in the domestic production and employment generation. Similarly, capital expenditure has also not been increased as expected. It is necessary to give extra impetus to the projects of national pride and priority, to increase the capital expenditure and to further improve in public service delivery,” the PM pointed out on the occasion.
He made it clear that making the administration mechanism efficient, removing the procedural obstacles and creating an environment conducive for fully harnessing the capacity of the private sector were his first priority.
‘We are close to power trade agreement with Bangladesh’
Prime Minister Dahal announced on the occasion that a tri-nation electricity trade agreement would be signed for exporting up to 40 megawatts power from Nepal to Bangladesh. He asserted that Nepal has reached close to electricity trade not only with India but with Bangladesh as well.
“The door for electricity trade is opening towards China as well. This is also not a small achievement, but we need to carry out great deal of works in electricity infrastructure development to achieve this possibility,” the PM observed.
Stating that Nepal has now made its presence in the world forum on the concept of climate justice and equality, he recalled that the visit of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Nepal and Nepal’s presentation in the COP-28 held in Dubai, UAE have sent new message to that connection.
“We have given the message that now Nepal will give leadership to the voice of mountain nations affected by climate crisis,” he said, expressing that the list of government’s achievement is not short, but these achievements were not adequate to fulfill the country’s needs and possibilities. #Nepal
