KATHMANDU, Feb 5: Three days after Province 3 held its first assembly meeting, Province 2, 5, 6 and 7 held their first assembly meetings on Sunday. 

The meetings were concluded by fixing the dates for the election of speaker and endorsing the interim work procedure-2018 on Provincial Assembly proceeding. 

The assemblies of Province 2 and 5 have set February 14 as the date for the election of their speakers while the assemblies of Province 6 and 7 have set February 12 as the date for electing their speakers. 

Province 2 
The first assembly meeting of Province 2 concluded by setting February 14 as the date for the election of speaker. 

Seniormost member of the assembly Lalan Lal Chaudhary in the capacity of speaker chaired the assembly meeting by reading out a letter from the province’s governor Ratneshwar Lal Kayastha. At the meeting, assembly member from the Rastriya Janta Party Nepal (RJPN) Manish Suman expressed his dissatisfaction over the failure of the assembly to put up the pictures of martyrs of Madhesh movement in the assembly hall. 

After this, RJP members Parmeshwar Sah, Dimpal Jha and CPN (Maoist Center) member Jagat Yadav and Dilip Sah stood from their seats and demanded that the photos of the martyrs be mounted on the assembly walls. They briefly obstructed the meeting. The meeting resumed after the provincial secretariat officials assured that the portraits will be put up on the walls before the next meeting.

The meeting later endorsed the interim work procedure -2018 on provincial assembly proceedings. Likewise, the meeting also appointed members for a Provincial Assembly Regulation Drafting Committee. After that, the floor was open for members. Members said that they should work together for the prosperity of the province. 

They said that the province should be developed as a tourist as well as an agricultural hub. As many as eight members from various parliamentary parties had addressed the assembly. The next meeting is scheduled for  February 12.

Province 5
The first meeting of the provincial assembly concluded, fixing the date for the election of speaker for February 14. The meeting was chaired by Baldev Sharma Pokharel as the seniormost member. 
As per the understanding reached between the UML and the CPN (Maoist Center) of the left alliance, the Maoist Center will get the speaker while UML will get the chief minister. UML has picked Shankar Pokharel for chief minister.  

Speaking in the meeting, assembly members stressed the need for unified efforts to bring prosperity to the province. 

CPN-UML parliamentary party leader Shankar Pokharel urged all the assembly members from various parties to work together for the development of the province.

Similarly, members from the Maoist Center, Nepali Congress, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal had also aired similar views. The assembly has altogether 87 members.  

Province 6 
The first meeting of the provincial assembly concluded by endorsing the interim work procedure-2018 on Provincial Assembly proceeding. Likewise, the meeting fixed February 12 for speaker’s election.   

Seniormost member of the assembly Him Bahadur Shahi had chaired the 40-member assembly. All members vowed to work together for the betterment of the province. 

Province 7
The first meeting of the provincial assembly was concluded by endorsing the interim work procedure -2018 on Provincial Assembly proceeding. Seniormost member of the assembly Dibyeshwari Shahi chaired the meeting. The meeting endorsed its work procedure. Similarly, the assembly also nominated a five-member committee to run the assembly in the absence of a speaker. CPN-UML members Purna Joshi and Maya Bhatta, CPN (Maoist Center) member Birbhana Chaudhary, Nepali Congress member Dev Raj Pathak and RJP member Krishna Kumar Chaudhary have been nominated to the committee. The assembly will hold speaker’s election on February 12.   

While addressing the assembly, members stressed the need for exploring the province’s potential in the areas of hydropower, agriculture and tourism. 
 
Province 1 and 4 holding assembly meetings Monday
The first meeting of the assembly of Province 1 is set to be held in Biratnagar on Monday. Officials have said preparations for the meeting have been completed. The meeting will set the date for the election of speaker and endorse the interim working procedures. 
(With inputs from district correspondents)

 
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