Right Honourable President,
Right Honourable Vice President,
Right Honourable the Chief Justice,
Right Honourable Chairman of the National Assembly,
Honourable Ministers, Honourable Members of the Federal Parliament,
Office-bearers of the Constitutional Bodies,
Heads of the Foreign Diplomatic Missions,
Distinguished Guests,
Employees and Friends from the Media,
All sisters and brothers present to celebrate the Constitution Day with gaiety and fervor,
All respected sisters and brothers within the country and abroad,
After long struggle and sacrifice we had promulgated the Constitution of Nepal this very day five years ago. First of all I, on behalf of the Government of Nepal and myself, extend hearty best wishes and congratulations of the Fifth Constitution Day and National Day to you all in the context of this historic day on which the constitution – the main law – written by the people’s representatives themselves was issued.
I extend heartfelt condolences to all the known/unknown martyrs on this happy occasion of excitement and celebration. I extend hearty respect to all the countrymen who made incomparable contribution to bind the country to the rule of law by suffering physically, mentally or by bearing loss in the family, becoming homeless or going missing in the course of the movement.
I had said in the first meeting of the Constitution Day and National Day Main Programme Committee a month back that from this year the Constitution Day should be celebrated in a grand manner as a celebration of the general people of Nepal and not confining it as that of the government or state. This Day should not only be ritualistic, celebratory passion should be instilled in the hearts of all the Nepalis.
As a day, for which we Nepalis waited for seven decades, As a day which had tied the hundreds of ‘flowers’ of the Nepali population into a single garland and given out the message of unity in diversity,
As a day on which the mass of Nepali people were celebrating in happiness at the success of writing the achievements of decades of struggle, and were awaiting the festivals that would follow it.
Therefore, Asoj 3 or today is our Constitution Day. Ot is the National Day of we Nepali. It is the biggest of festivals. This is the Unity Day that is being celebrated throughout the country with the active initiation of our 761 governments at all the three levels.
Today is the Day that is filled with the story of glory for those who had involved in struggle for decades and who had undergone/understood pain and suffering. Today is also an Independence Day for all those Nepali who have been freed of family separation, exploitation and oppression. It is a celebration to take pride in the achievements secured so far. So, today is our National Day and not just a light fanfare nor like the ‘decree or order’ from the autocratic rulers who are not fond of people.
Sisters and brothers,
On the occasion of the National Day last year I had mentioned that this day is an important ‘bench-mark’ in the history of modern Nepal. I had spoken of the articles and clauses of the Constitution. I had stated in brief about the seven decdes long battle that we fought for attaining the constitution and about the success. And I had expressed earnestness, reverence and commitment to democracy and the democratic system.
Such earnestness, in which there is no place for an undemocratic system like heridirtary/ by birth supremacy. Such dynamism, in which the secured rights are put in practice. Rather than getting stuck in topics like which part, article ot clause of the constitution has or has not so many and such rights, we would move forward by settling or removing in a legal manner there and then, whatever is not proper and which is an obstruction to progress.
I had mentioned at that time our national aspirations and goals internalized by the constitution. I had stated that our national aspiration of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali,’ is your and our common dream to transform the backward Nepali society, and as a dream that can be fulfilled and should be materialized.
-Today, I seek your permission to once again reiterate these commitments. I seek your permission to state in short the achievements made in the 18 months of running this government.
– High economic growth of 7.1 per cent has been achieved in the fiscal year 2018/19, the highest in this decade. The growth rate of all the economic sector is between 5 to 9 per cent. And, the economic growth rate of all the provinces is also between 6 to 8 per cent. Therefore, this growth is balanced and equitable both in the sector-wise and provincial levels. This is a sign that the country is moving towards the path of equitable development and prosperity in the first stage of the implementation of federalism.
– Export has grown by 19.4 percent whereas import growth has been limited to 13.9 per cent in the fiscal year 2018/19. This groth in export is the highest growth in a decade for the first time.
– Except the year of the Earthquake and the border blockade, the average rate of growth of import in the past one decade was 23 per cent.
– Revenue collection has increased by 22.6 per cent in the fiscal year 2018/19.
– The bank loans have been expanded in a notable extent in various sectors in this period. For example agriculture loans have increased by 42.5 per cent, industrial loan by 20.3 per cent, construction sector loans by 22.2 per cent and transport and public sector loans by 32.8 per cent.
– Seven different kinds of loans have been provded with concessional loans and interest subsidy in this period. Loans amounting Rs 32.82 billion has been provided to 18,295 persons so far through this programme. Rs 1.56 billion interest grants have also been distributed.
– The number of commercial bank’s branches have reached 737 at local levels. This number was 394 when the government under my leadership was inaugurated. The bank’s branches have increased by 51 per cent from 5,837 to reach 8,805 within one and half years.
– So far the bank accounts of 165,622 people have been opened under the “Let Us Open Bank Account” campaign that was initiated on April 14, 2019 under the slogan of ‘Let Us Relate to Prosperity: Every Nepali Has Bank Account’.
– The formula of allocation of functions to be carried out by the federal, province and local levels, distribution of revenue and grants has come under implementation at 635 local levels.
– Nepal has brought into practice the management of fiscal federalism, an important aspect for the implementation of federalism, in a smooth manner in the one and half years. The resource management, revenue distribution and the expenditure system of the province and local levels has been systematized. The provisison of income/expenditure and budget release through electronic system has been implemented. This is an incomparable success for us and a successful example of rapid implementation of fiscal federalism for the rest of the world.
More than 30,000 firms have joined the vehicles and consignment tracking system that was initiated from this fuscal year. This will help check revenue leakage.
Import and export has been resumed from the Tatopani transit which was shut after the earthquake. The dry port at Larcha of Sindhupalchok has been constructed within this period and has been brought into operation.
The system of directly monitoring the national pride projects by means of tele-presence has been brought into implementation.
The distribution of the national identity cards has been started for the modernization of the public services. The preparations have been completed for providing services related to security and police administration, land management,, transport administration, industral service, revenue administration, judicial administration, immigration and passport, integrated civil apps and electrobic voting, through the electrobic public service system.
The work of providing services through the electrobic system has been started at 89 land revenue offices across the country.
Around 1,600 kilometres black-topped road has been constructed in the previous fiscal year. Construction of 243 road bridges has been completed. Electricity and renewable energy projects are in operation with the target of producing 1,000 megawatts electricity in this year. The per capita energy consumption at the time of the formation of this government has increased from 110 kilowatts per hour to 245 kilowatts per hour.
Afforestation has been carried out in additional 7,377 hectares of land throughout the country during this period. Afforestation has been sone in 4,100 hectare new area in the fiscal year 2018/19. The afforestation is 141 per cent more cmpared to the previous year. And, 4.5 million fruit plants alone have been planted in the afforested area. Irrigation facility has been expanded to additional 3,700 hectares land in this period.
492 thousand private houses, 5 thousand schools and 665 health posts damaged by the earthquake have been reconstructed during this period. 869 houses have been constructed and handed over to the storm victims of Bara and Parsa districts.
The foundation for the construction of Motihari—Raxaul-Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline, the first inter-country petroleum pipeline in South Asia, was laid after the formation of this government and its construction has been completed. The Prime Minister of Nepal and Prime Minister of India jointly inaugurated this pipeline on September 10 and it has been brought into operation.
The number of citizens coming under the coverage of health insurance during the term of the present government has increased by three times. The number of insured families has increased from 784,000 to 2 million 195 thousand 388. This programme which was in implementation in 229 local levels of 25 districts until mid-February of 2018 has expanded to 471 local levels of 48 districts at present.
The number of local levels where all children of the school-going age have been admitted to schools has reached 127. Additional 300,000 children of the school age have been enroled in school. Tectbooks have been made available to all the 5 million 638 thousand children from class 1 to 10 at the beginning of the fscal year.
43 districts in the country were declard fully literate before the fortmation of the present government and 51 districts have been declared so after the formation of this government. Libraries have been set up in additional 1,000 secondary schools.
Employment of a total 2 million 343 thousand 136 days, at an average rate of 13 days, has been provided to 188,346 people at 646 local levels thoughout the country through the Prime Minister Employment Programme.
Bilateral agreements and MoUs have been reached with Malaysia, UAE and Mauritius as per the zero cost principle in order to make the foreign employment easy, secure and dignified for the workers. Bilateral labour agreement has also been inked with Japan ensuring that Nepali workers will get the facilities at a par with the Japanese citizens.
Social security scheme based on the contribution of workers has veen implemented from this fiscal year. The social security programme was started on November 30, 2018. So far 66,409 workers working with around 5,000 registered employees are affiliated in the social security fund.
201 Acts have been amended and 13 Acts have been abrogated through the 43 Acts that were issued after the formation of the present government. Five ordinance s have been issued. 42 bills have been registered in parliament and are under consideration.
The bill designed to form the Public Transport Authority to improve the public transport in the Kathmandu Valley by ending the syndicate system for all time is in consideration by the parliament.
Electric busus are to be operated soon for the convenience of the general public. The preparation has reached the final stages for the government purchasing and operating 300 buses in the Kathmandu valley and major cities of the provinces through the Sajha Yatayat.
The employes adjustment which is considered complex job has been completed. The public service commission has conducted examination to fill 13,645 permanent posts for 515 local levels.
Direct air links have been established with Japan. The preparation for the Visit Nepal Year are moving ahead at rapid pace. Preparation of infrastructure for the South Asian Games has reached the final stages.
The social security allowance which was started for the first time in Nepal by the government of the communist party from Rs 100 per month has been increased to Rs 3,000 per month from mid-August.
Heads of Government or State of eight various countries have officially visited Nepal during this period. Right Honourable President has paid official visit to various four countries, the Right Honourable Vice President to two countries. The Prime Minister has conducted 10 official bisits. Investment Conference has been held with the participation of 39 countries and organizations.These visits have made a significant contribution to further consolidating our foreign relation. Our neighbourly relations have been strengthened. The diplomatic success that has been achieved as per the policy of ‘Friendship with All, Enmity with None’ has made Nepal ‘seen and heard’ in the world.
Thew Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up the ‘Brain Gain Centre’ to mobilizethe knowledge and skills of the Nepalis abroad for the development of Nepal. The public procurement regulation has been amended so as to make the public procurement management effective and transparent.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has moved forward works directed against corruption in an active manner. The CIAA has so far filed cases against 540 people under various chaarges, claiming 4.25 billion rupees in fine and the amount that they had misappropriated or misused.
Sisters and brothers,
We had declared the previous fiscal year as the foundation year for prosperity. Laws were enacted. Allocation of human resources was made. Just distribution of resources took place. Basic physical infrastructure required for operations of three-tier government were build. A base for development has been created. A foundation stone has been laid in somewhere; first or second storey has been added somewhere. Additional stories needed for development will be added and the work will go on.
We can question just for the sake of asking- Where is jail? Where is water ship? Where has been a tunnel dug out? Where are containers moving across waterways? And to give more emphasis, why we are told to have these dreams? Why are told to have hopes for all these?
I humbly accept that I had spread water on the dead dreams. I had told dreams were not that which came while we were sleeping, but let’s had a dream when we were awake.
When a nation is hopeful about the future, when it dreams of a beautiful future, good and golden days, then only the nation can survive. Then that country can able to function, can do hard work. My duty was to revive the dead dreams and restore and increase faith in them. And my wish was not everyone would try for realising such determinations with the expectation that from such efforts the development of nation was possible, the development of society was possible. I had tried for the same.
I or my party, we, none were just bargainers of just dreams. I and leaders of the then our alliance had spread the message of hope among the people that ‘something would happen after the election’ just to reverse the mentality that everything was gone, destroyed and nothing would happen onwards and restore the faith that something would happen.
You all believed in our commitments, and gifted us a strong majority. I want to thank you all and today I again extend gratitude from the bottom of heart for giving an opportunity for your service.
Sisters and brothers,
I have said many times I have experienced death from the very close. To say in people’s voice, I am alive following frequent deaths. Many colleagues in my team are living a bonus life as me.
I have questioned many times to myself what was the purpose of my decision to leave home with my peers at an young age some half century ago and I got the reply that it was for building the nation. To realise your, our collected dreams. I had never thought that my involvement in all those struggles was for competing for the post of Prime minister in any day in the future. `
On this occasion of National Day, I again express commitments the nation will change its scale, our dreams will come true, will come true. I am in the leadership of this campaign. Let’s have patience. Let’s rethink once again over questions that why the situation remained disturbed since two and half centuries did not remain the same in less than two and half years.
There are substantive bases for nation building. We have virgin natural resources, favourable climate, political stability and a strong government sitting on your verdict. Presently, we have demographic dividend. The number of population below 34 is 65.5 percent.
If we separate 34.8 percent population of adolescents under 14, the number of active population from 15-34 years is 30. 5 percent. The number of aged citizens above 65 is just around 4 percent.
I am hurried for this. The race for rapid development should be completed before this youth population turns adult. Then only the post- republic Nepali generation can be described as the lucky generation. I am proud of those youth population who are engaged in several innovative endevours. Some through goods productions, some through service creations have contributed in the society.
I am a bit worried about that youth population who is a bit free, whose energy is being spend in resultless debate on issues with no agenda in the social networking instead of in creation, in constructive ideas. I am concerned about that grown-up generation which has been failed to exchange custom and positive experiences with the society. It feels like that their opinions being aired from public platforms in the name of ‘critical approach’ are provoking the entire society to speak the language of hatred, animosity, discourtesy and sadism.
I am repeatedly saying over excitements and anarchy are the necessities of the hour, but social goodwill, mutual unity and tolerance. Today’s fight is not for the achievement of democracy, but for institutionalising and strengthening federal republic democracy.
How to race ahead without moving? How to ensure the realization of change by confining to status quo? Why and how long to get engaged in process which have no relation with results and transformations? Why to create an atmosphere for discussions and debates about issues with no agenda as of main agenda? Why to keep backing business of dissatisfactions like nothing would happen, everything was gone?
Now we have to change style.
Performance agreement has begun from the current fiscal year to make our actions result-oriented. The agreement signed by the Prime minister with ministers; ministers with secretaries and secretaries with subordinate official states every activities need to be carried out in a year decided by the policies and programmes. Digital portal and action room have been brought into operation to make the ‘monitoring of monitoring’ more effective.
Senior joint secretaries have been deputed as the state government’s secretaries to make the state government affairs effective. A policy has begun to make state government works and activities as bases for promotion to the senior level to establish the system of reward and punishment.
Work efficiency, not age or job seniority, will be prioritised to avoid uselessness to be created by file promotion.The trend of hesitating to take a needed decision due to aspiration of avoiding criticism will be discouraged.
Timeline has been set for the completion of potential big projects announced as projects of national pride. Projects seem failing to garner resources and those waiting for the preparation of Detailed Project Report will be put in pending.
The construction of a dry port began at Timure of Rasuwa will be completed in thirty months. Kathmandu-Tarai/ Madhesh fast track’s detailed project report ( DPR) has been endorsed with an objective of completing the project within the tenure of present government.
Gautam Buddha International Airport will come into operation within the current fiscal year. Pokhara Regional Airport will come into operation by the end of next fiscal year. Dhaubadi Iron Ore Limited has been established for the operation of iron mining based in Dhaubadi of Nawalparasi .
Preliminary preparations have been completed to realise dreams of tunnel way, railway and waterways to shipping facilities. The size of our current economy is around of Rs 350 billion. The size of Nepali economy will be expanded to Rs 500 billion within the whole tenure of the government.
Sisters and brothers,
We none are in for and against in terms of the implementation of the constitution. I am confident that none will be in for and against in regard with it.
–Our democracy is broader, it has been successful in bringing some of the extremist thoughts and organisations back to the mainstream. I request those who are still forgetting the way to come to the mainstream with no any further delay.
Now, the phase of political movement has been over with the promulgation of constitution and completion of all three-level elections. A process is underway to strengthen democracy and institutionalize the achievements.
The government will stop if any activities capable of jeopardising peace, security and national unity in the name of politics as such activities are against the constitution and are unlawful. People are the foundation of democracy and institutions in democracy will become strong if people become strengthened. When those institutions become strong, democratic system will be strengthened. The strengthened system will help deliver services among the people.
The government will take up the responsibility of ensuring just distributions of dividend of democracy among the citizens. It will always give an emphasis on high level understanding and unity between the State and citizens for the creation of prosperity, it balance and sustainability. From this, I am confident we can build a prosperous, happy, civilized and just society.
Greetings in advance for the Dashain, Tihar and other festivals beginning soon.
Thank you.
(Available from National News Agency, Nepal’s premier news agency)
