Both Houses of Parliament meeting today
Both houses of the federal Parliament are meeting today.
The House of Representatives (HoR), lower house of Parliament, is scheduled to meet at 1 pm.
As per tentative schedule, Prime Minister Balendra Shah will be presenting the seventh annual report of the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission, 2082.
Similarly, Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle is scheduled to present the 'Alternative Development Finance Mobilization Bill, 2082'.
The Speaker will be reading a letter received from the President's Office on hierarchy of Cabinet members.
The upper house of the Parliament, National Assembly, is scheduled to convene at 1:15pm.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to present an annual report of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority for the fiscal year, 2081/82.
Private schools told to refund fees collected unlawfully
The federal government has issued a circular to the local governments to withdraw admission fees collected from students against the operation and standards of the new academic calendar that commences from April 28 in the Lunar Calendar.
In a circular sent to all local level governments through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the government has stressed enforcement of the April 5 (Chaitra 22) directive to withdraw admission and other fees being unlawfully charged by private schools.
It may be noted that the Nepal government's Council of Ministers had decided to run the new academic session from April 28, due to short supply of fuel.
The Constitution has also entrusted the local level governments with the right to operate and monitor schools.
The Education Ministry has taken the initiative to enforce the Supreme Court's decision to not enroll students before the new academic session.
The government has put forward the legal process to withdraw admission fees charged against the existing laws and all other fees except those determined by the Private School Fee Determination Standards Directive, 2072 BS.
Dr Bhatta appointed NPC Vice Chair, Pandit NRB Deputy Governor
Dr Gunakar Bhatta has been appointed as the Vice Chair of the National Planning Commission, according to a Cabinet decision made today.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers, held today at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, decided to appoint Dr Bhatta to the post, Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Pratibha Rawal told the media.
Similarly, the meeting appointed Nepal Rastra Bank’s Executive Director Kiran Pandit as the Deputy Governor of the NRB.
The meeting also decided to provide a 50 percent concession on customs duties for the import of petrol, diesel, and kerosene, as well as on the infrastructure development tax.
She further said, "It has been necessary for the government to adjust the prices of petroleum products in line with international prices. The government does not hide this fact."
According to her, the country incurred losses of nearly Rs 11.72 billion in the past 15 days in the transactions of petroleum products. To address the situation, the government has implemented policies such as declaring Sundays as public holidays, encouraging the public to follow the odd and even number plate system for vehicle operation, and promoting the use of electric vehicles and ethanol, the Minister added.
Similarly, the meeting of the Council of Ministers has decided to accept the concessional loan of USD 85 million to be provided by the World Bank for the Greater Lumbini Area Development Project.
The Cabinet has decided to shift the Energy and Water Resources Research Center based in Pulchowk, Lalitpur to Godavari in Lalitpur, and to move the office of the Water and Energy Commission to the Centre's building at Pulchowk.
The government has decided to accept the resignation tendered from their post by Chairperson of the Problematic Cooperatives Management Committee, Shreeman Kumar Gautam and Members Lalita Kumari Maharjan and Dhruba Acharya.
Likewise, the meeting of the Council of Ministers has given approval for acquisition of the private land at Dhunibesi in the west section of the Nagdhunga Tunnelway and at Uttargaya Rural Municipality along the Betrawati-Dhunche-Syaphrubesi road section of the Pasang Lhamu Highway, towards infrastructure development.
The Cabinet meeting has also decided to allow the use of a total of 46.39 hectares of forest land in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Makwanpur for the construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhes Expressway and to permit the felling of 18,898 trees.
Presidents of four committees in NA elected unopposed
Presidents of four thematic committees in the National Assembly have been elected unopposed.
They were elected on the basis of political consensus.
Puja Chaudhary has been elected President of the Public Policy and Delegated Legislation Committee, Jayanti Devi Rai as President of the Federalism Enabling and National Concerns Committee, Krishna Prasad Paudel as President of the Economic Affairs and Good Governance Committee, and Krishna Bahadur Rokaya as President of the Committee for Legislation Management, according to NA Secretary Tul Bahadur Kandel.
Chaudhary’s candidacy was proposed by Madan Kumari Shah (Garima) and seconded by Yubaraj Sharma and Rukmini Koirala. Rai’s candidacy was proposed by Geljen Sherpa and supported by Durga Kumari Gurung.
Similarly, Paudel’s candidacy was proposed by Narayan Datta Bhatta and supported by Jagat Timilsina, while Rokaya’s candidacy was proposed by Anand Prasad Dhungana and seconded by Gita Devkota.
The posts had been lying vacant since March 4.
