NA officers had earlier informed SAC that the national army urgently needed a MI-17 helicopter, two Lancer helicopters and a MA60 plane for rescue operations during natural calamities, supplying food in remote areas and other purposes. [break]
"The defense ministry has to study the matter and request the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) for budgetary arrangements and OPMCM has to take initiative for that and inform the committee about progress made in this connection," stated the SAC´s annual report finalized by the committee Tuesday. Committee Chairman Ramnath Dhakal will submit the report in parliament soon.
The committee has instructed the government to take diplomatic initiatives with China to settle the issue of buying an airplane and utilize the advance money paid to the Chinese.
The parliamentary body has directed the finance ministry to earmark seven percent of the national budget for defense.
Saying that NA is short of arms and ammunition, it said the army was facing difficulties even in its daily work, trainings and other essential activities. "NA has not been able to purchase such goods or produce them in the country either due to the (Comprehensive) Peace Accord. Prolonging this situation may negatively impact NA and its morale," stated the report.
Pointing to shortcomings in delivery by OPMCM, SAC has clearly said that programs initiated from the political and administrative leadership did not originate from the ministry but were guided by the interests of various NGOs and INGOs.
"Therefore such programs are found to be impractical and less beneficial," said SAC. The committee has criticized government authorities not only for misusing the administrative machinery for private and political party interests, but also for failing to take any bold decisions in the country´s interest. SAC has concluded that some problems like shortage of petroleum products were the results of this tendency.
It has urged the government to create an environment conducive to efficiency among civil servants. "Civil servants are very excited to be involved in politics and politicians are interested in bureaucracy," stated the report.
The parliamentary body has also concluded that those involved in wrong and undisciplined activities have access to and are protected by higher-ups.
SAC has instructed the political and bureaucratic leadership to end the practice of increasing the number of ministries and secretaries with changes in government.
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