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Kathmandu Saturday June 23, 2001 Ashadh 09, 2058.
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Program, Policy likley to be tabled on June 29
Post Report
KATHMANDU, June 22 - The government today
presented a draft copy of the programs and policies for the upcoming fiscal year to King
Gyanendra which, if everything goes by schedule, will be presented by June 29.
The presentation of this policy document that
roughly outlines the government’s strategy for the next fiscal year is the first of
scheduled businesses during the budget session.
It will be the first time the new Monarch will
be addressing the joint session of the parliament attended by members of both the House of
Representatives and the National Assembly.
The 20th parliamentary session convenes on
Monday. Speaker Taranath Ranabhat will announce the date for deliberation of the policy
document on the first day.
The announcement of the programs and policies
will be followed by few days of discussions to be followed by the prime minister answering
to concerns raised by the lawmakers. The government would present a proposal to thank the
King for the deliberation which will be put forth for a vote. Approval of this proposal is
considered endorsement of the document by the parliament.
Usually the government, holding majority of the
votes in the House, gets the proposal through. However, few years back, a rebellion in the
Nepali Congress had led to nearly half its lawmakers staying away from voting thus failing
the proposal.
Premier Girija Prasad Koirala, who was also the
prime minister then, declared dissolution of the Lower House of the parliament and
proposed fresh mid-term polls.
This, however, is quite unlikely this time, even
though a faction within the party has been rebelling against Koirala, they have pulled
behind Koirala so far in matters concerning the government.
The policy document this year was prepared by
just some senior ministers and forwarded to the Royal Palace. In the previous years, prior
to presenting the document, it was discussed both in the party and at the cabinet level.
The draft would again be passed back to the
government by the King. On the day of the presentation, the Prime Minister will hand over
the document to the King to read it out.
It is still unclear if the government’s
programs and policies will have to pass through rough waters as the opposition parties,
already pressing for the Prime Minister’s resignation over the Lauda Air bribery
case, now have added ammunition.
Prime Minister Koirala, who also holds the
portfolio for Royal Palace Affairs, is expected to be grilled over the June 1 Royal Palace
massacre.
And add to that, the government’s recent
enforcement of the Public Security Regulations, 2001 is also expected to get some fire
blown at the government.
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