"We will adopt mixed system with special arrangements for checks and balances [between the head of state and the head of the governme”t"”," read the final draft of the manifesto that was endorsed by the party´s standing committee meeting on Tuesday. [break]
The party had lobbied for the same policy during the first Constituent Assembly (CA) polls in 2008. But, as members of the now dissolved CA´s thematic committee on system of governance were sharply divided over the provision, UML went for the Westminster system proposed by the Nepali Congress. UCPN (Maoist) advocates for the presidential system in which the executive president is elected directly.
On the model of federalism, which was one of major disputed issues that led to dissolution of the previous CA, UML has stood for a seven-province federal model. It has said that the provinces should be based on multiple ethnic identities“ "Each province will have common and mixed territory and will ensure equal rights for all citizen”," read the manifesto“ "The provinces will be named by the provincial assembl”."
While emphasizing on the distribution of powers among the three tiers of government -- central, provincial and local -- the party is for retaining the draft prepared by the previous CA in this regard.
- Ceremonial prez, directly-elected executive PM
- Seven-province federal model based on multiple ethnic identities
- Residences for 500,000 homeless people
- Employment for 300,000 people a year, allowances for jobless
- Generation of 10,000 MW electricity in 10 yrs
- Blacktopped roads connecting all district headquarters
- Model village each in all 240 election constituencies
The major political parties´ position on the system of governance and model of federalism still remains crucial as the major parties remained sharply divided mainly over the bases for delineation of provinces in the previous CA.
The party, like in the past, has advocated for mixed economic policy. The party said that Nepal´s economy would head in right direction only after the public, cooperative and private sectors are developed in a way as to complement each other“ "Cooperative sector can play an important role in improving the living standard of the common people by generating employment in rural area”."
Stating that private sector is crucial to the economy, the party has committed to guaranteeing constitutional protection to the properties owned by business and industrial houses.
Though the party didn´t bring any major changes in its policy regarding the new constitution, it has announced some ambitious programs under the titl“ "A roadmap of transformation: Broader Economic Policy and Strategy for Social Developme”t".
The party has promised to help Nepal graduate from the group of Least Developed Countries (LDC) to developing nations by making major achievements in per capita income, human development indices and other social and infrastructural development sectors in the next five years.
It has vowed to guarantee residences to 500,000 homeless people and claimed that there would be no homeless people in the country in the next 10 years.
It has pledged to create employment for 300,000 people a year, ensure basic and prime education to all, bring down the maternal mortality rate to zero, protect all poor children from malnutrition and eradicate illiteracy completely in the next five years.
Similarly, UML has promised to end load-shedding completely by generating 10,000 megawatts of electricity in the next 10 years. Currently, the total installed capacity of hydropower projects across the country stands at 700 MW. The party has also promised to connect all the 75 district headquarters with black-topped roads and complete construction of Mid-hills Highway and Postal Highway in Tarai in the next five years.
The party has also vowed to guarantee employment to all and to distribute allowances to unemployed youths, develop one model village each in all the 240 election constituencies, construct international airport in Bara and regional airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa.
Under the titl“ "Special sectors: special poli”y", the party has announced to give special emphasis on women empowerment, respect to Dalits, rights of indigenous and ethnic communities and identity for Tarai-Madhesi community.
The party has also promised not to enforce general strike to press for any kind of demand. UML Spokesman Pradeep Gyawali said the party gave continuity to its past policies related to constitution making as the new CA will be mandated mainly to complete the unfinished task of the previous legislature. He also explained that they didn´t bring new policies as they are for owning the agreements reached in the previous CA.“
"In our manifesto we have come up with new programs and policies mainly on socio-economic transformation because we believe that we have completed the phase of political change and now our major focus should be on socio-economic progre”s," he explained.
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