KATHMANDU, September 7: The parliamentary Development Committee has directed the authorities concerned to make necessary arrangements to distribute embossed number plates to vehicles on the basis of the names of the federal provinces.

A meeting of the parliamentary panel held Wednesday has instructed the Ministry of Physical Planning and Transport Management (MoPPTM) and Department of Transport Management (DoTM) to make necessary arrangements to include the name of provinces free of cost once they are named, if they wish to continue issuancing embossed number plates. 

Elected provincial assemblies are entrusted the right to decide on the names of the respective provinces. As the provincial polls are scheduled for November 26 and December 7, the parliamentary panel has directed the MoPPTM and DoTM to either stop issuing embossed number plates based on the names of the zones or make arrangement to insert the names of the provinces on the number plates free of cost once the names are decided.

A member of the Parliamentary Development Committee Jiwan Bahadur Shahi said they want the authorites to stop the distribution of embossed number plates based on existing zones, which the new constitution does not recognize. "I do not think it makes any difference if the issuance of embossed number plates is delayed for another six months. There is no point in issuing embossed number plates based on existing zones, which the constitution does not recognize," said  Shahi.

The parliamentary committee has also taken strong exception to the decision of MoPPTM and DoTM not to include Devanagari letters on the number plates. The committee has given the MoPPTM and DoTM seven days to make necessary arrangement to include Devanagari letters on the number plates.
  
Lowest bidder was denied number plate contract!
 
The parliamentary committee has also take strong exception to the decision of the government not to award embossed number plate contract to the lowest bidder. 
Among the four different companies that had participated in the bid, the government had awarded contract not to the lowest bidder which had offered to do the work for $29 million, but to Decatour Tiger Co-operation that had proposed $40.5 million. The Decator Tiger Cooperation is a US and Bangladesh joint venture.
 
The parliamentary panel has asked the MoPPTM and DoTM to furnish written clarifications within seven days over the selection of the firm and if the contract awarding process was in line with the Public Procurement Act and regulations.

In view of public criticism over the 'steep' prices charged for the embossed number plates, the parliamentary committee has instructed the MoPPTM and DoTM to revise the prices.

 
• development committee
 
• parliament
 
• directs
 
• embossed number