Meetings of both Houses of the Federal Parliament are set to take place today. The House of Representatives (HoR) will meet at 11:00 in the morning, while the National Assembly (NA) will begin its session at 1:15 in the afternoon.
During the meeting of the HoR, a group discussion will begin on the Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2082. The discussion will cover topics related to seven major ministries. These include the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ministry of Health and Population, and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
There is also a proposal to present expenditure cuts for different departments under these ministries. These proposals are part of the ongoing deliberations on the Appropriation Bill.
Ramhari Khatiwada, the President of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the HoR, said that the report of the ‘Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill, 2082’ is scheduled to be presented in today’s session.
At the same time, members of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party continue to disrupt the parliamentary process. They are demanding an independent investigation into the ‘Visit Visa’ scandal and the resignation of the Home Minister. Their protest may impact the flow of today’s agenda in the House of Representatives.
In the National Assembly, ministers are expected to answer questions from lawmakers. These questions are related to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Bishnu Prasad Paudel, will respond to queries raised during the general discussion on the annual estimates of revenue and spending for the fiscal year 2082/83. This is a key part of the day’s proceedings in the Upper House.
Kamala Pant, who chairs the NA Committee on Development, Economic Affairs and Good Governance, will present a special study report. This report focuses on Nepal’s plan to move from a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a Developing Country. The study is from the year 2081 and outlines steps and progress made in the transition process.
Deputy Prime Minister Paudel will also propose sending the ‘Customs Bill, 2080’ to the Legislative Management Committee. This bill has already been passed by the HoR and will now be discussed in detail, clause by clause, by the committee in the National Assembly.
In addition to legislative matters, the National Assembly will take a moment to honor two former lawmakers who have passed away. A condolence proposal will be presented to pay respect to former Constituent Assembly member Birendra Juharchan and former HoR member Dhundiraj Shastri.
These Federal Parliament meetings come at a time when national attention is focused on fiscal planning and legal reforms. While some political disputes continue, today’s sessions are expected to move forward with essential discussions and decisions that shape the coming year’s governance.
