POKHARA: The Gandaki Provincial Assembly on Friday passed a bill titled Bill to Repeal Some Acts with a majority vote, despite opposition from Maoist Center lawmakers and neutrality from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) MPs.
The bill, introduced by Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, seeks to repeal three provincial laws: the Provincial Dairy Development Board Act 2075 BS, the Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act 2075 BS, and the Gandaki Provincial Science and Technology Academy Act 2076 BS.
While the proposal passed without amendments, it sparked heated debate during the principled discussion in the assembly. Many lawmakers, including those from the ruling party, expressed discontent over the government’s decision to dissolve the Science and Technology Academy. Critics argued that shutting down the institution would hinder efforts to promote research and innovation in the province.
Chief Minister Pandey attempted to allay concerns, assuring lawmakers that future science and technology initiatives would be advanced through the Research Center under Gandaki University. He added that the decision to repeal the acts was based on recommendations from a committee formed to assess the relevance of provincial institutions following the implementation of federalism.
The Council of Ministers, in its meeting on February 24, had concluded that these institutions were duplicative and financially burdensome. The government formed a study committee led by Joint Secretary Baburam Gautam to review the effectiveness of the bodies. The committee’s report noted a lack of justification for their continuation, prompting the government to move forward with the repeal.
Notably, the acts had been introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, envisioning independent bodies with executive heads. However, controversy had recently emerged over political interference in executive appointments, and several key positions in the institutions had remained vacant.
Although many lawmakers voiced opposition to the repeals, no formal amendments were submitted, allowing the bill to pass swiftly. As per the new arrangement, the responsibilities of the dissolved institutions will now be handled by relevant provincial ministries.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives will oversee dairy development, the Ministry of Forests and Environment will manage lake conservation, and the Ministry of Social Development, Youth and Sports will assume responsibilities for science and technology promotion.
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