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Newly appointed Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal said that the government's topmost priority is to deliver public services more effectively and swiftly. In a meeting with the delegation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce on Monday, newly appointed Chief Secretary Aryal assured that the government is sensitive to deliver quality public services for which long-term policy and plans are in the offing. According to Aryal, improvement in the quality of public service is also linked to the success of the government. He stressed on the need for the government and private sector to join hands to attain economic growth and prosperity. He also said that efforts are being made for attracting international investment in Nepal. Similarly, the visiting delegation of the Chamber recommended putting in place a time-bound schedule and strictly implementing in the public offices so as to make the administrative services of the country swift and orderly. Chamber's President Rajendra Malla said that they also suggested the newly appointed Chief Secretary to make a service-sector that is directly linked to public result-oriented through effective intergovernmental coordination. According to him, by making time-bound scheduled for public service delivery would bring respite to the public. The Chamber also called for concrete policy arrangements to do away with the condition of people queuing up for hours to pay taxes. The Chamber also drew the attention of the Chief Secretary to facilitate in taking forward the Financial Ordinance that is under consideration in the parliament. It pointed out the need to attract as much as foreign investment to attain economic growth and prosperity.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the prompt recue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in disaster-hit areas are the top priorities of the government. The Prime Minister, who arrived in Sankhuwasabha today to inspect areas hit by recent floods and landslides, said that the authorities concerned had already swung into action for the management of people affected by the disasters.  He was talking to media persons upon his arrival at Tumlingtar Airport. During his visit, the Prime Minister pledged for restoring the damaged roadways and bridges, assuring provisions for both temporary and permanent rehabilitation of the affected. The Prime Minister arrived here on a helicopter along with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala and Minister for Urban Development Sita Gurung. Lawmakers Deepak Khadka, Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, Basanta Nembang and Koshi Province Assembly member Rajendra Karki were also in the disaster’s inspection team. So far, the death of one has been confirmed while 21 people have gone missing in the incidents of floods and landslides in the district with the rains since Saturday night. In Chainpur Municipality-4, the flood damaged the under-construction Super Hewa Hydropower Project, resulting in the missing of 17 workers. Police said that they have intensified a search operation for them.  

Lawmakers have drawn the attention of the government towards the urgency for making early preparedness regarding the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) more effective as monsoon has already set in the country and thus monsoon-induced disasters are likely. It may be noted that monsoon entered Nepal on June 15 this year and has spread to the eastern and central part of the country as of now. Monsoon-induced disasters are occurring in various areas in the eastern part of the country, causing the loss of lives and property. Airing their voices in the Zero Hour of the House of Representatives (HoR) here today, the lawmakers called for identifying vulnerable settlements and relocating the habitants there to safer places before the disaster take place. They urged the government to devise and execute an effective action-plan for minimizing the damages incurred from the disasters as well as to step up disaster operations such as search and rescue, relief distribution, resettlement and rehabilitation among others. Rajendra KC said that the government should roll out action-plan for search and rescue, relief distribution and reconstruction of the infrastructures sustaining damages in the disasters. Similarly, Bhanubhakta Joshi said that Bajhang district, a hilly district in the Sudurpaschim Province, was prone to natural disasters and thus demanded relocation of locals residing at such zones. He said that Bhopur of Jay Prithivi Municipality, Satyabadi School premises, Dadagaun of Bithadchir Rural Municipality, Deval and Kanda of Surma Rural Municipality are at high risk of natural disasters. "May the government pay timely attention towards disaster risk reduction." Man Bahadur Gurung appealed to the government to routinely monitor the watershed area of Madi and Seti River in Kaski district as well as the glacier lake and make early warning systems more effective. "Monsoon has already started. Disasters happen unexpectedly. Major disasters took place in the eastern area including Taplejung and Sankhuwasabha last night. There is probability for such disaster to take place in the days to come. The government should pay its attention to it." Manish Jha stressed the need for relocating settlements vulnerable to disasters to safety stating that fear has taken over people of mountain districts. He also drew the attention of the government to make preparedness for disasters more effective. Similarly, Manbir Rai demanded that the government inform the parliament about the disasters in the eastern districts. He also asked the government to provide reliefs to the affected people at the earliest. Bimala Subedi called the attention of the government to the residents of Banchadanda facing various health problems due to the landfill site where waste is being dumped in violation of set standards. Mahesh Kumar Bartaula urged the government to provide equal access to health services for people. Metmani Chaudhary demanded the government ensure a reliable market for farmers' produce and take initiatives to address their pressing issues while Menaka Kumari Pokhrel expressed concern over the government decision to withdraw a case concerning the physical assault against TU teacher Prem Chalaune. Maina Karki drew the government attention towards the prompt need of implementing measures to reduce road accidents while Mangal Prasad Gupta urged the government to promptly address issues of sugarcane farmers. Raghuji Pant demanded the government prevent possible physical assaults and abuses against university faculty members by student unions themselves. "Cases of physical assaults and abuses against University teachers and office-bearers are rising," he said. Sunita Baral expressed concern over the government decision to withdraw a case concerning the physical abuse against TU lecturer Prem Chalaune, demanding the government ensure a safe atmosphere in universities. Meena Tamang, Mukta Kumari Yadav, Manju Sharma Ansari, Ranedra Baraili, Ranju Kumari Jha, Ram Kumar Yadav, Rupa Shoshi Chaudhary, Roshan Karki, Rekha Yadav, Lal Prasad Sawa Limbu and Leelanath Shrestha were among those drawing the government's attention towards various contemporary issues in the House session today.

The Koshi provincial government has announced an immediate relief of Rs 100,000 to the families of people killed in the flood and landslide in various districts of the province. A meeting of the Koshi Province Disaster Management Committee convened on Sunday evening decided to provide Rs 100,000 to the families of those killed in the disaster, Minister for Drinking Water, Irrigation, Energy and Health Til Kumar Menyagbo said. Minister Menyagbo made an on-site observation of the disaster-hit some districts in the province on Sunday. He said the meeting decided to step up work for the medical treatment of those injured in the disaster, for the reconstruction of the physical infrastructures (houses), for repair and construction of the bridges, roads and highways damaged due to the floods and landslide at the earliest so as to resume traffic.