PM hopeful of consolidated federal democracy after completion of elections

KATHMANDU, Oct 24: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed his hope that the elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies would be held on the scheduled date which could contribute to further consolidating the federal democracy.

During his meeting with the US Ambassador to Nepal at his office in Singha Durbar on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said, “People enthusiastically participated in the local –level elections. Local representatives have already started providing services to the people reaching their doorsteps. With this democracy at the local-level is being strengthened.”

US Ambassador to Nepal, Alaina B Teplitz, reached the Singha Durbar to pay a courtesy call on the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister further expressed his hope that the Nepali people would enthusiastically take part in the nearing elections as in the local-level, as stated by the PM’s foreign affairs advisor Dr Dinesh Bhattarai to the RSS.

The government had laid equal focus on all the three-tier of elections, he said, expressing hope that the strengthened democracy was possible only through the effective enforcement of the constitution. The upcoming elections would take a noticeable number of women to a leadership level as in the local level.

On the occasion, the US Ambassador informed the Prime Minister about various aspects of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grants assistance. It may be noted the US government recently provided 500 million US dollars to Nepal under its MCC, an independent US government agency working to reduce poverty through the means of economic development, for the development and expansion of road infrastructure and electricity transmission networks. This amount is the highest foreign assistance Nepal received so far.

Nepal got such assistance for its achievements since the past few years in the areas of development, construction, good governance, inclusion, child health, immunization, access to primary education and conservation of natural resources.

The US envoy, congratulating the Nepal for proving itself entitled for receiving the MCC grant assistance, shared information about the process of its expenditure with the Prime Minister. RSS