May 27: The National Assembly has started deliberations on the government's policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari had presented the policies and programmes of the government for the new fiscal year during a joint session of parliament on May 24.    
According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Govinda Koirala, on behalf of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, proposed during Thursday’s meeting to hold discussions on the government's new policies and programmes.    
Taking part in the deliberations, National Assembly members Bhairab Sundar Shrestha, Shekhar Kumar Singh, Bhagawati Neupane and Bimala Ghimire proposed amendments to the policies and programmes.    
The MPs raised concerns regarding ‘one household, one tap’ programme announced by the government stating that although it assures drinking water supply to over 460,000 people, the quality of water supply was doubtful.

“People need pure drinking water and we want the government to clarify who are its target groups for high standard water and who are the ones for the medium standard water,” RSS quoted the MPs as saying.    
They alleged the recent local level election was held in an unjust way despite the government claiming it to be peaceful, RSS further reported.

They also sought amendments to the government's decision to exclude over 1,400 road projects introduced by the previous government. The deliberations will continue during the next meeting of upper house.