A special parliamentary committee has proposed ‘Sudurpashchim’ as the name of Province 7 and ‘Godawari’ in Kailali as its capital.

The five-member committee led by Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chief Whip Tara Lama Tamang submitted its report to the provincial assembly meeting on Tuesday.

As per the schedule of the provincial assembly, discussion over the proposal starts on Wednesday.

The provincial capital has been proposed at a public place west of the Dhangadhi-Dadeldhura road section in Godawari Municipality-4, Kailali. The proposed place is bush area and is about 20km from Dhangadhi—the temporary provincial capital.

Committee’s coordinator Tamang said they had proposed ‘Sudurpashchim’, as a majority of the respondents suggested the name. According to him, Khaptad, Kanchan, Api, Mahakali, Api-Saipal were among other names proposed for the province.  The committee said the name of province and its capital were proposed as per the suggestions collected from various quarters. The committee said in the proposal that the day-to-day government works would be carried out from the temporary capital Dhangadhi until the necessary infrastructure was built in the proposed capital.

The main opposition party, Nepali Congress, remained silent on the proposed name of the province but objected to the capital. “We [NC] believe that Dhangadhi is suitable place for the provincial capital. If it should be shifted, Dipayal of Doti should be designate as the capital,” said NC parliamentary party leader Rana Bahadur Rawal.

As per the constitutional provision, the provincial assembly has the authority to name and designate the provincial capital by a two-thirds majority. The NCP has the required numerical strength in the assembly.