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A joint meeting of both the Houses of federal Parliament scheduled for 1 pm to unveil the annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year has been postponed for 3 pm today.

The Parliament Secretariat said that the meeting was postponed due to a 'special reason'.

Finance Minister Barshaman Pun will present the budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the joint meeting of the Parliament today.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the government is committed to taking the peace process to a logical conclusion as well as concluding the remaining task of transitional justice. 

At a special function organized at Nepal Army Pavilion, Tundikhel today on the occasion of Republic Day, Prime Minister Dahal said that most of the tasks related to conflict management and establishment of peace have been completed to address the sentiments of the Constitution. 

"The government is committed to take the peace process to the logical conclusion and complete the remaining tasks of transitional justice", he added. 

“Nepal’s practice in conflict management and establishment of peace has been established as a new example in the world,” PM Dahal said.

He explained that allowance has been distributed to the people injured and mutilated during the armed conflict and people's movement.

The PM clarified that the three-tier elections held in a free, fearless, and impartial manner have strengthened the federal governance system in the country, adding the three-level governments function for the welfare and prosperity of the citizens.

"The government is committed to advancing the country towards its national aspiration for prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali along with the establishment of political stability, good governance, development, and social justice as it yearns for achieving a socialism-oriented socio-economic transformation as per the need of the nation and the citizens," the Prime Minister said.

He said that the effective implementation of the constitution, strengthening of federalism, economic reform and recovery, promotion of good governance, improvement, and simplification in the public service delivery system, the establishment of civic-friendly governance, and the prevention of corruption are the top priorities of the government. 

According to him, those communities who were pushed into exclusions for ages to age now have their rights and participation in the decision-making levels at the state's various bodies following a revolutionary change in the nation.

Communities that endured centuries of oppression, including those subjected to untouchability, now hold positions in 6,743 wards and other State bodies.

The women community who are referred to as 'half the sky' were largely confined to the domestic roles. But with the historic transformation in the country, they lead the 753 local levels as the mayors or the deputy mayors. 

Stating that women's participation has been ensured not only in the public sector but also in the political and social sectors, the Prime Minister said various constitutional commissions are working to promote the rights of those communities’ facing exclusion and to mainstream their participation in each body of the State. 

"We are commemorating Republic Day as a milestone in Nepal's journey towards prosperity, symbolizing the eradication of social, cultural, and economic disparities that have long plagued Nepali society," the Prime Minister said.

The main opposition Nepali Congress has agreed to form a parliamentary probe committee without mentioning the name of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

The Parliamentary Party meeting held on Tuesday decided to form a parliamentary probe committee without mentioning the name of any particular person in the cooperative fraud scam.

After the meeting, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said that the task force would give the final shape.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of former General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula after party President Sher Bahadur Deuba was not feeling well.

Lekhak said that the names of additional members will be sent to the parliamentary secretariat after the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee is finalized.

Currently, Deputy General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki are in the task force from Nepali Congress.

Leader Lekhak claimed that a proposal will be tabled in the Parliament meeting at 4 pm today to endorse the agreement along with ToR.

The Congress has long been obstructing the House proceedings demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee by mentioning the name of Home Minister Lamichhane in the cooperative fraud case.

Now, the House obstruction will be cleared from today after the Congress expressed its readiness to form a parliamentary committee without mentioning the name of any particular person.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the republic is the result of collective political efforts launched to build a prosperous Nepal where social justice prevails. 

It is the aspiration of change, PM Dahal said while addressing a special function organized at Army Pavilion, Tundikhel on the occasion of the Republic Day this morning.

"We, the political parties aspiring for change, established a republic with common efforts so that a discriminatory social structure was wiped out and federalism and new constitution achieved," PM reminded, adding that it abolished the unitary and feudalistic dynasty rule.

According to him, a stage of political revolution was over with the establishment of a federal democratic republic. He warned that any effort that tries to foil this achievement would not be successful. Dahal underlined the need for national cooperation and collaboration for the agenda of change.

"Historically, backsliding of systems is not seen. Nepal moves ahead now. However, additional achievements are needed to substantiate inclusion, proportional representation and freedoms," he opined.

According to him, the country has been making a significant stride in people's lifestyles. Government is firm on protecting national interest with independent and balanced foreign policy, PM Dahal added.

He further explained that the relations with neighboring countries and international agencies were improved, thereby ensuring Nepal's graduation to the status of developing countries by 2083BS. Campaigning is underway to achieve SDGs by 2087BS.

He also shared that financial and monetary policies were enforced in congruity to recover national economy from slowdown; necessary laws and policies revised to create investment atmosphere; state coffers utilized for people's benefit; farmers' rights addressed gradually; construction of infrastructures intensified; and efforts made for national unity to ensure self-reliant socialism.

Republic is not only a system but a lifestyle. It is getting established at civic level, Dahal stressed.

The special program was attended by the President, Vice President, Chief Justice, Speaker, Chairman of National Assembly, Deputy Prime Ministers, former prime ministers, ministers, and chiefs of diplomatic missions in the country.

The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force conducted march-past and cultural pageants on the occasion.

A Nepal Army helicopter displayed a banner reading 'Republic Day, 2081' and cascaded flowers in Tundikhel.