Nepal's Parliamentary panel endorses local govt bill

Nepal Parliament's Development Committee has endorsed a local government bill that clearly lays down powers of local level authorities granted under the Constitution.

As per the provisions of the bill, civic bodies will have power to register land and issue ownership certificates.

Panel member Ganesh Kumar Pahari said local levels have been allowed to call tender for sale of sand and clinkers under their jurisdiction but the revenue would be shared among the local levels, provinces and the centre.

"We have clearly defined powers and rights of local levels so that when all 553 local levels make their laws, there is uniformity in their laws," The Himlayan Times quoted Pahari, as saying.

He said judicial powers of the judicial committees of the local levels have been defined by the panel which would be formed under deputy chiefs of local levels who will settle minor offences, reducing burden on courts of law.

According to the report, the bill also categorised Dhading, Ramechhap, Gorkha and Eastern Rukum as mountainous districts to enable them to get development aid along the lines of mountainous and remote districts and some advantage of representation in the Parliament.

The bill also allows local level authorities to award licence for operation of FM radios.

It also has a provision for local levels to approve design of those buildings that were built in the past without approval or to allow change in the original design provided that the new design does not violate the building code.

All provisions of the bill were unanimously endorsed by the panel other than the provision relating to right to form associations.

The bill also included a provision to create a fund for the district coordination committees.

Nine lawmakers associated with the main opposition CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajtantra Party were in favour of the provisions of the bill.

However, the 17 lawmakers associated with the ruling Nepali Congress and the CPN-Maoist Centre voted against the provision.