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The government has formed a committee to facilitate the supply of medicines produced by Nepal Aushadhi Limited to the state-owned health facilities.

Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel formed the committee after complaints that some drugs including Citamol, Jivan Jal and other medicines produced by the Limited were not sold, Minister Paudel's secretary stated. 

Minister Paudel on Tuesday held a discussion with the officials of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and the Limited to facilitate the smooth supply of the Limited's medicines in all three layers of government.  

After the meeting, a committee was formed under the leadership of the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies comprising the representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and Limited.

Spokesperson of the Health Ministry, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, said that a concrete decision would be taken based on the recommendations from the committee. 

Earlier, Minister Paudel said the citizens should be provided with medicines at concessional price, for which the Limited should produce drugs regularly.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Dahal has urged South Korean investors to invest in Nepal's rail service development and expansion with full confidence.

At a meeting with the representatives of South Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on Tuesday, Minister Dahal asked the South Korean delegation for their investment in Nepal's rail service adding that development of railway was also a key priority of the Nepal government.

Dahal asked the South Korean team to carry out study and research to expand rail service considering the religious, cultural and tourist destinations in Nepal. 

He argued that Nepal was creating an investment climate for rail service expansion and stated that the modalities for investment could be discussed too. 

Ministry's Secretary Keshab Kumar Sharma said that e-rail expansion could be useful in Nepal given immense potential for hydropower production. 

Likewise, CEO of Investment Board Sushil Gyawali said a task force comprising experts from both countries would be formed within some days and different modalities for the development and expansion of railway would be studied.

CEO of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) Han Moon Hee shared about his company's 126-year-long history and experiences in railway development and expressed readiness to execute assignments for the same in Nepal too. 

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that the prisons would not only be transformed into open correction homes but also into an industrial village.

Inaugurating the newly constructed building and facility of the Morang Prison Office today, Home Minister Lekhak made it clear that the aim is to modernise the prison and transform it into an industrial village with the objective of helping inmates make productive use of their time and earn a living.

He stated that although there is a mandatory provision to keep the convicted persons in jail in accordance with the prevailing legal provisions, the government is sensitive to the human rights of the inmates.

Stating that the human rights of all individuals will be guaranteed in a democracy, the Home Minister informed that necessary preparations are underway to address the complaint of prison buildings being fewer compared to the number of inmates and the lack of necessary infrastructure.

The Minister of Internal Affairs and Law of Koshi Province, Rewati Raman Bhandari, expressed confidence that the newly constructed prison building will provide additional facilities to inmates, clarifying that the government is on the side of human rights along with the proper utilization of inmates’ labour.

The Chief District Officer of Morang, Indradev Yadav, expressed his commitment to address the issues seen in the prison and to treat the inmates appropriately.

Lawmaker Amanlal Modi, Province Assembly member Bhim Parajuli, Chief of the Federal Urban Development and Building Construction Office Pradeep Kumar Singh, and Director General of the Central Department of Prisons Narayan Bhattarai expressed their views in favour of the employment and human rights of prisoners.

The Department of Building has stated that a total of Rs 361 million and 285 thousand has been spent for the construction of the newly built prison building. The new building is constructed in the complex of the old District Jail located at Hathkhola in Biratnagar.

The prison building can accommodate 218 male and 99 female inmates.

Lawmakers have put forth their views on contemporary issues in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives.

On the occasion, Thakur Prasad Gaire said organizing ‘Sagarmatha Sambaad’ for climate justice at a time when the country is facing climate-induced crisis, is the matter of pleasant and expressed the belief that the program would seek solutions to the climate crisis.

He shared that there should not be any delay to establish climate justice as the risk of flood and landslide as well as incidents of other natural disasters are increasing due to climate change.

Similarly, Dig Bahadur Limbu demanded the government to allocate a budget for irrigation and drinking water facility at Morang constituency-1 as sources of drinking water and irrigation are drying up due to floods that occurred last September.

Likewise, Dol Prasad Aryal drew the government’s attention to create an environment for disaster management on time as the citizens have to face difficulties due to landslide and flood during rainy season while Tara Lama Tamang asked the government to resettlement of the families displaced after expansion of Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve.

Tosima Karki demanded the government to forward construction activities of Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhes fast track, the national pride project and Dikpal Kumar Shahi urged to make power supply at Aathbis municipality of Dailekh systematic.

Similarly, Deepak Bahadur Singh stressed the need of stopping policy-level corruption while Narayani Sharma drew the government’s attention towards power outage at a time when mercury is rising in Tarai-Madhes.

Likewise, Nisha Dangi pointed out the need for a country’s sustainable development, skill development training and employment as well as quality education and good governance.

Pushpa Bahadur Shah asked the government to allocate a budget for Achham District Hospital in the coming fiscal year as a contract for construction of a 50-bed hospital has been forwarded.

Other lawmakers including Prakash Jwala, Prem Bahadur Maharjan and Bindabasini Kansakar also put forth their views.

Lawmakers call for formulating budget that meets citizens’ aspiration for development

Lawmakers have emphasized that the budget for the upcoming fiscal year should be brought in a way that addresses the high economic growth rate and the development aspirations of citizens.

In today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, they stated that the budget should be focused on the implementation of fundamental rights, infrastructure development, productivity enhancement, and job creation.

Those airing their views on this line were Deepak Giri of the Nepali Congress, Juli Kumari Mahato of the CPN-UML, Ranendra Barali of the CPN (Maoist Center), Santosh Pariyar of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and Anisha Nepali of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.