Ordinance was brought on necessity: Minister Gurung

Kathmandu, Jan 14: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, clarified that the government has brought the ordinance not to serve intention but necessity.

Inaugurating the Maghe Sankranti festival organized by the Nepal Magar Association at Tundikhel in Kathmandu today, he stressed the need for an ordinance to provide speedy service to the people. Gurung, also the government spokesperson, said there were several complex legal procedures in Nepal to create hurdles in development works and that it takes more than six years to formulate procedural laws.

“The government has brought the ordinance to facilitate the delivery of services to the people,” he said. Minister Gurung argued that the ordinance would create an environment conducive to information technology (IT)-related businesses and allow them to take loans from foreign companies. He clarified that the ordinance has to be brought to ensure that entrepreneurs get concessions, address hassles in the work, fix delays in public administrative services, maintain good governance, and control corruption.

“From now onward, if you reach any government office and do not complete your work within seven days, we have made arrangements for seeking an explanation or taking action,” he said, adding, “A provision has been made on who will run the municipality or rural municipality when the chairperson and vice-chairperson of the rural municipality or municipality are suspended.

At such time, the village executive members choose the person from among themselves. This is to remove obstacles in the service of the people”. On the occasion, Minister Gurung urged the Magar community to make full use of all the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. He stressed the need to utilize the Constitution, as it has ensured many rights as a result of peaceful movements by the indigenous peoples.

Minister Gurung opined that the indigenous tribal community was failing to exercise the rights given by the Constitution given the current situation. Stating that the Magar community is the largest community among the indigenous peoples, he said the contribution of the community to the state since the unification of the nation was commendable.

Minister Gurung urged the Magar community-dominated Gandaki Province and Lumbini Province to take initiatives to protect the language of the community in their respective areas. “I would like to request the Gandaki and Lumbini provincial governments to preserve important aspects, including the Magar language script,” he said, adding that it should be established and recognized as the official language.

Minister Gurung further said that Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural country, and the government has been carrying out promotional works, including granting public holidays by respecting the cultural festivals of all communities.” The government has respected all mother tongues spoken in Nepal.

A secular state respects all religions. Now the indigenous peoples need to pay attention to the exercise of their rights,” he urged. —RSS