NATIONAL 2 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Call For Peace

Contrary to government claims, its policies and programs fail to address wide-ranging problems

By KESHAB POUDEL

After nearly five decades of debate, the government has, at least, promised to prepare Detailed Project Report of Sunkoshi-Kamala diversion and Saptakoshi high dam.

On water resources front, the policies and programs also stressed the need to implement the Pancheshwor Multi Purpose Project. The government plans to start works relating to the preparation of detailed project reports of such projects as Sapta Koshi High Dam and Sunkosi Kamala diversion. In its annual policies and programs, the Congress government, however, remained silent over highly prioritized Melamchi Drinking Water Project.

In his half an hour long address to the parliament, King Birendra also stressed the need to equip Nepal Police and National Investigation Department with modern facilities.

"The government will guarantee freedom of life to the Nepalese people and enable them to enjoy the freedom fearlessly so that they can realize the vision of democratic as well as prosperous Nepal," said constitutional monarch Birendra, addressing the joint session of the parliament on Friday (May 19th). "While controlling the violent activities noticed in the country for the past several years, Nepal police and the National Investigation Department shall be enthused with high morale and provided with appropriate resources for protecting the life and property of people."

Immediately after King Birendra addressed the joint session of the parliament, main opposition party, however, tabled amendment proposal seeking for removal of more than half a dozen of programs.

"This programs has no new dimensions and proposals to address the problems of the country," said main opposition party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, reacting over the program. "it needs to be amended in many fronts."

Unlike previous years, King Birendra's annual address to the joint session of the parliament was short and concise but it was more policy based rather than programs.

From maintaining law and order to good governance and from improving judiciary to increasing employee benefits, the policies and program strikes at different areas.

The annual policies and programs acknowledge the need to improve the infrastructures in judiciary also.

Congress leaders argue that one of the important aspects of the twenty-three points annual policies and programs is that it is short and concise. "We have removed all pompous words and rhetorics from the annual policies and programs," said Tek Bahadur Chokhyal, chief-whip of Nepali Congress parliamentary party.

Opposition leaders, however, disagree. "The policies and programs are vision-less and do not have new programs for the country," said Rabindra Nath Sharma, leader of Rastriya Prajatantra Party. "They only reflect the bankruptcy of Congress leadership."

Telecast live by the government-owned Nepal Television and Radio Nepal, constitutional monarch Birendra's address to the joint session of the parliament has also attempts to inject made feeble some life to the frustrated bureaucracy.

On economic reforms the government agrees to continue economic liberalization through special attention to the financial sector reform for increased mobilization of internal resources to gradually reduce dependency on external resources.

The policies and programs has also tried to give high priority to poverty alleviation. On the anti-corruption drive, the government has decided to initiate measures for the amendment of existing laws, enactment of new laws as well as policy structural reforms in order to check corruption, graft and revenue leakage.

Main Highlights

On Economic Reform: Special attention to the financial sector reform for increased mobilization of internal resources. Emphasis on the development and expansion of private sector.

Decentralization: The government would continue its efforts to enable and strengthen the local bodies to institutionalize decentralization and democratic system.

On Administration: The government would continue timely reforms of the machinery for the all round development of the country and for maintaining justice, peace, order and harmony in the society.

Judiciary: Development of the physical infrastructure, institutional development, procedural simplification and efficiency enhancement of the employees of the judiciary thus continuing the policy with special emphasis on the prompt and fair delivery of justice.

Since this seems to be the annual ritual, the address has not been able to generate any enthusiasm.