Minister pledges referendum to ensure timely constitution

KATHMANDU: Minister for Urban Development Dr. Narayan Khadka has claimed that the new constitution will be promulgated even by resolving contentious issues through referendum, while speaking at the program organized by the Reporters Club Nepal on Wednesday.
The Minister said that though most of the contentions on constitutional issues have been resolved, he said that this time the constitution making process will be not taken hostage of consensus.

He said that the governemnt is committed to take all the contentious issues to ballot and let the people decide on such contentions. The minister said so while answering questions from journos on the action plan for resolving the longstanding contentions on federalism at the program presided by the Club’s President Rishi Dhamala.

On a different note, the Minister said that the nomination of 26 Constituent Assembly members has not been made due to the delay made by UCPN Maoist and the CPN UML. He said, “Nepali Congress has finalized its nominations. Once UML and UCPN Maoist finalize the list, list of the 26 members of the CA will be announced.”

Defending recent comments on the government’s action, Khadka said, ” rocket speed work cannot be expected within two months of formation of the government.” He argued that the Nepali Congress led coalition government has been moving ahead by taking all political parties into confidence and said that negotiations and discussions have been affecting the speed task execution.

Addressing the drinking water woes of Kathmanduities, Minister Khadka said that the Melamchi water will reach every water tap in the city by April 13, 2016.