Lawmakers call for pro-people budget and address urgent local issues in house meeting

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers in Sunday’s House of Representatives meeting urged the government to prioritize pressing national and local concerns in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.

Speaking during zero hour, they drew the government’s attention to issues ranging from landlessness, infrastructure gaps, and disaster preparedness to agriculture, employment, and public services.

Lawmaker Achyut Prasad Mainali highlighted the ongoing plight of landless squatters, while MP Anisha Nepali stressed the need to address urban development, energy, and drinking water in the new budget.

MP Amar Bahadur Rayamajhi called for urgent road repairs in Udayapur, and MP Dr. Amresh Kumar Singh expressed frustration over the 15-year delay in completing the Postal Bridge on the Bagmati River.

Calls for systemic reform included MP Anjani Shrestha’s demand for accessible medical education, MP Abdul Khan’s request to ease passport and work permit issuance for migrant workers, and MP Eknath Dhakal’s appeal for administrative reforms at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Agriculture remained a key focus. MP Ashma Kumari Chaudhary called for budget allocations to modernize agriculture and promote self-reliance. MP Kushumdevi Thapa advocated expanding Rajapur’s rice production into Karnali, while MP Chitra Bahadur KC urged regulation of sand mining in Kaligandaki.

Environmental and disaster concerns were raised by MPs Kaluram Rai and Kiran Kumar Sah. Rai reported the discovery of a new turtle species in Chure and demanded conservation support. Sah emphasized incorporating disaster risk reduction into development planning.

Several lawmakers also stressed social welfare needs. MP Urmila Majhi urged greater investment in education, health, and employment, while MP Chanda Karki (Bhandari) pushed for effective health policy implementation. MP Jwala Kumari Shah called for improved justice and governance.

Other demands included promoting electric vehicles for foreign exchange (MP Asim Shah), supporting small entrepreneurs (MP Ganesh Parajuli), streamlining organizational registrations (MP Ganga Karki), and expanding border corridors in Karnali (MP Chandra Bahadur Bishwakarma).

As discussions continue, lawmakers urged the government to design a budget that addresses immediate concerns and lays the foundation for long-term, inclusive development.