Kathmandu, June 9: Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhaya has said the basic and primary education programme will be launched in 60 districts from fiscal year 2057/58 B.S. and one boarding school each will be set up in Humla, Rasuwa and Mustang districts.
Responding to verbal questions asked by MPs at the National Assembly meeting the other day, Upadhyaya noted that a bill aimed at educational reforms will be presented at this session.
The minister also made it clear that as the teachers who were fired from the service by the Panchayat regime were reinstated in fiscal years 048/49 B.S. and 050/51 B.S, there is no such programme now.
There is no programme to set up Lumbini University in Rupandehi district at present and it is not true that the Higher Secondary Education Council is steeped in corruption, he further said.
Those asking questions were Jeevan Prem Shrestha authorised by NC’s Jagannath Paudel, Gaura Koirala authorised by CPN-UML’s Shanta Manavi, Devraj Ghimire of the same party and Devraj Ghimire authorized by Kedar Prasad Neupane.
Similarly, responding to questions asked by MPs, Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Mohammod Aftab Alam said the government has formed a committee under the chairmanship of Prem Bahadur Bista to look into the settlement problem in the extended land of Royal Shuklaphant Wildlife Reserve for which some Rs 2.5 million has been allocated.
Stating that a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Bardiya district CDO decided to take various measures for the protection of spotted deer in Khairapur Wildlife Reserve, the Minister of State denied the report that wild animals are decreasing in the Royal Chitwan National Park.
However, it is true that some of the 544 rhinos are sick because of limitation of space and some have been found dead due to fighting between themselves, Alam said, adding the ministry has already initiated investigations into the incident after forming a commission.
Noting that wire fences installed to protect the life and crops of the people living nearby from wild animals have helped in stopping further damage, the Minister of State remarked that notwithstanding all this, if some person loses his/her life, he or she will be given due compensation.
Those asking questions with Alam were NC’s Bhim Bahadur Shrestha, Devendra Ghimire authorised by Uttam Kumar Mahat of the CPN-UML and Gaura Koirala of the same party authorised by Goma Devkota.
Health Minister Dr. Rambaran Yadav had presented the Nepal health service bill (second amendment) at the National Assembly meeting yesterday.
Likewise, Devraj Ghimire of CPN-UML spoke of the need to stop immediately distribution of voters’ identity cards which is taking place in a manner which cannot be accepted.
Lal Bahadur Biswokarma of the same party demanded that action be taken against those who were involved in beating up Teknath Chapagain, his wife and son at their own residence and misbehaved with the daughter and drew the government’ attention to the applications submitted by 31 Kamaiyas or bonded labourer at the Kanchanpur district administration office.
MP Mohanraj Sharma Chapagain demanded that since the beginning of academic year from Srawan is not practical, the session should be started from the month of Falgun or Baishakh.
CPN-UML’s Bir Bahadur Singh spoke of the need to make public details of the ministers, businessmen and leaders who are implicated in a controversial report recently published in various magazines and newspapers including “India Today.”
Gajendra Narayan Singh of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party complained that dalits have been suppressed in Siraha district, voters’ identity cards have been distributed in Jhapa and Saptari districts in an illegal manner and no attention has been given to providing citizenship certificates to some 3.5 million people in the Terai region.
Rabindranath Sharma of the RPP said it is rumoured that the RNAC is going to purchase an aircraft which is not proper from both technical and financial viewpoints.
MP Chanda Shaha observed that education sector should not be politicised and it is not good to include only ruling party workers into secondary school board of directors.
CPN-UML’s Thammaya Thapa drew the government’s attention to the widespread irregularity while purchasing land by the Myagdi district education office.