A meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) on Monday passed a proposal tabled, seeking an endorsement of the 'BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking'. The proposal presented by Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa was approved by a majority.

Tabling the proposal before the session, the Home Minister spoke of the need of the Convention to develop common understandings among the BIMSTEC member states in view of Multi-Sectoral, economic and technical assistance in regard with controlling terrorism when its form has been changed over the course of time.

The Convention was a must to curb the organised crime and drugs smuggling and there remained a compulsion for endorsing the document before the fourth BIMSTEC Summit taking place in Kathmandu on upcoming August 30-31, he said.

The meeting also unanimously endorsed a proposal tabled by Minister for Finance Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada, seeking the considerations on the ' Payment and Clearance Bill- 2075 BS".

The House also passed a proposal tabled by the Home Minister, seeking the meeting's approval to send the 'Nepal Citizenship (first amendment) Bill, 2075 BS' to the respective committee for clause-wise deliberations. Likewise, a proposal presented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population Upendra Yadav before the meeting to send the 'Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Rights Bill, 2075 BS' to the respective committee for clause-wise deliberations. The proposal was endorsed unanimously.

Minister Yadav also presented the 'Public Health Bill, 2075 BS' in the meeting while a bill relating to housing rights was tabled by the Minister for Urban Development Mohammed Istiyak Rai.

Moreover, the meeting unanimously approved a proposal floated by Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali to send the 'Passport Bill, 2075 BS' and a proposal put forth by Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Matrika Prasad Yadav to send ' Consumer Interest Protection Bill, 2075 BS' to respective committees for clause wise deliberations.

The meeting unanimously endorsed a proposal tabled by the Finance Minister to send the 'Pension Fund Bill, 2075 BS, to the respective committee for clause-wise deliberations.

The Lower House shall meet again at 13:00 hrs, tomorrow. RSS