KATHMANDU, JUN 25 - Following widespread criticism, Speaker Subas Nembang on Wednesday directed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bam Dev Gautam to withdraw a bill on life-long facilities to former VIPs.
The ministry had registered the bill at Parliament Secretariat, seeking to provide luxurious vehicles, residence and secretariat to former president, vice-president, former prime minister, former speaker and former chairman of Upper House. The bill also demands vehicles among other facilities for former home ministers, citing security threats.
Following Nembang’s request, Gautam has agreed to withdraw the bill. He also directed General Secretary of Parliament Secretariat Manohar Bhattarai not to present the bill in Parliament session. “This is not an appropriate time to increase the facilities of VIPs when the country is struggling to
recover from the earthquakes,” he said.
The bill has drawn criticism in the media, on various social media platforms. The proposed arrangements would put an extra burden of Rs 500 million annually on already strained state coffers. The Supreme Court had issued stay orders against such proposals in the past—in 2011 when the Cabinet decided to extend facilities to former PM, ministers and members of the former royal family and a year later against the ordinance to provide life-long facilities to former VIPs.
No comments:
Post a Comment