NA member Aryal calls policy debate a futile exercise

KATHMANDU: National Assembly member Urmila Aryal has criticized the ongoing discussion on the government’s annual policies and programs, calling it a futile exercise lacking in genuine impact.

Speaking during Tuesday’s session of the National Assembly, Aryal expressed her frustration over the failure to incorporate meaningful suggestions from various political parties and stakeholders into the policy document for the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83.

“Despite participating in the discussions, valuable inputs from different sectors and parties are often ignored, and the program is passed as it is,” she said, lamenting what she described as a recurring pattern in policy formulation.

Aryal emphasized the need for broader political consensus and meaningful consultation with all parties before the policies are drafted. She noted that although there is room to enrich the policy through inclusive dialogue, there remains a reluctance to establish common ground on national issues.

Calling for a break from outdated traditions, she stressed the importance of moving forward with a new, more inclusive approach. “Until the policy incorporates collective insights and becomes more robust, these discussions will continue to seem purposeless,” she remarked.

Aryal also voiced her dissatisfaction over the exclusion of some long-standing government programs from the new policy, arguing that such omissions undermine continuity and progress.