Report highlights need for dedicated act for national pride projects

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers have stressed the need for a dedicated law and clear standards to manage projects of national pride more effectively.

During a meeting of the Federalism Enablement and National Concerns Committee of the National Assembly, discussions centered around a draft report on field monitoring of such projects.

Committee Chairperson Sonam Geljen Sherpa emphasized the importance of special policy provisions to determine the relevance of projects, streamline their implementation procedures, and ensure the effective operation of completed infrastructures.

He noted that without a dedicated law and clear standards, many national pride projects have remained incomplete for years.

Lawmakers participating in the meeting echoed similar concerns. Committee member Jagat Bahadur Parki criticized the prolonged delays in completing these high-profile projects. Kiran Babu Shrestha urged the government to refrain from deceiving the public in the name of national pride projects.

Other members including Gopi Bahadur Sarki Achhami, Uday Bahadur Bohora, Rajendra Laxmi Gaire, Jag Prasad Sharma, and Shekhar Kumar Singh called for policy-level decisions to resolve implementation bottlenecks and ensure timely completion of such projects.

A committee delegation recently conducted on-site visits to several key projects including the Girija Prasad Koirala Cricket Stadium, North-South (Koshi Corridor) Highway, the Railway and Metro Development Project, and the Rastrapati Chure Conservation Program.