The government, on Wednesday, unveiled its annual ‘policies and programmes’ laying emphasis on the upcoming constituent assembly polls, improvement in the security situation and reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed during the armed conflict.

Addressing the parliament session, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala urged all sides to work together in holding the CA election in a peaceful manner. He further said the political change in the country would not be consolidated unless there is economic and social reform.

In his brief speech, the ailing Prime Minister also expressed confidence that the CA election would lead the nation to peace and democracy.

Senior minister Ram Chandra Poudel, who holds the Peace and Reconstruction portfolio, presented the government’s policies and programmes on behalf of the Prime Minister.

The policy document states that efforts will be made in “significantly improving the security situation” and create proper climate for free and fair election. Vowing to check the ongoing crime and violence, it also seeks negotiated settlement of all the problems, pledging talks with all the agitating groups.

Poudel said the government would empower and mobilise the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force throughout the country, especially in Terai, to control the violence in an effort to create conducive environment for the polls.

Special law would be enforced to stop all kinds of disturbances in highways, he stated.

The government has said the United Nations and other independent national and international agencies will be invited for the monitoring of the November 22 polls.

Likewise, a commission will be formed to work out the structure of the federal system.

The government has also announced to implement the three-year interim plan focusing on peace building, reconstruction of the infrastructure and economic programmes. The concept of ‘special economic zone’ will come into force in the upcoming fiscal year and there are plans to distribute land to the landless people, increase the access of rural people to development facilities and economic activities.

The government also plans to run the local bodies with political consensus.

The policy document, which is largely based on the past agreements between the Maoists and the seven parties, also aims to facilitate in ‘democratisation’ of the Nepal Army and make it national in character. Rehabilitation and integration of the People’s Liberation Army are also in the government’s priority list.

As announced earlier by the ruling 8-party alliance, the government will start process to nationalise the state properties used by King Gyanendra and set up a trust to manage the properties of late King Birendra and his family.

To achieve the targeted economic growth, the interim government will carry on with the policy to prioritise the agricultural sector, involvement of the private sector and promotion tourism and foreign employment.

Government would also bring an integrated programme for economic and social transformation of the Nepali society and implement the scientific land reform programme. Initiatives would be taken to establish an industrial security force, it stated.

Protection and promotion of local dialects, culture, diversification of tourism sector, establishment of more national airports and one international airport, operation of the Nepal Airlines under Public Private Partnership are some of the other programmes that government announced for the new fiscal year.

Rehabilitation of the ex-Kamaiyas, distribution of land to landless, involving community in education sector, increasing school enrollment, expanding the programmes for technical education, developing university as research centers and establishment of an agriculture university are also in the government’s priority list.

The government would also initiate restructuring of the health services, providing free health services to the poor and strengthening the capacity of the health posts in remote areas.

The government would bring out a special programme to train people in rural areas on income generation skills. Multilateral investments would be invited for hydropower generation and more villages would be electrified. New schemes will be started in irrigation and private sector would be encouraged for physical infrastructure development.

The policies also say that five district headquarters, not connected by roads till today, will be connected by road networks in the new fiscal year and more east-west and north south roads would be developed.

The government has also vowed to complete the Melamchi water project in time.

Every district headquarters will have at least two public telephone lines as part of the government effort to expand the communication services to remote areas.

The public service delivery system would be improved. Similarly, labour agreement would be signed with the countries where Nepalis have been working to ensure their social security.

The policies state that the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and Office of the Attorney General would be empowered. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) would be given more powers for protection of human rights. The physical infrastructure of the courts would be improved and salary of the government employees would be increased.

Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department would be equipped with modern technologies. Democratisation of Nepali Army and merger of qualified Maoist combatants into it would start, it further stated. The security personnel would also be trained for human rights protection.

Aiming to appease the bureaucracy, the government has also announced to raise the salary of government employees with the start of new fiscal year.

The government has also said its foreign relations will be guided by the nonalignment policy while giving high importance to the ties with the two immediate neighbours, India and China. Similarly, government has also stressed on respectful repatriation of the Bhutanese refugees but has said it will allow resettling in third countries to those who could not be repatriated or those who are willing to go to third countries.