The PAC meeting unanimously approved regret motion against Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Hari Narayan Yadav for failing to appear before the panel to clarify about the government´s policy on agriculture sector.[break]
This is the first time in 15 years that a regret motion has been approved against an incumbent minister. The PAC had approved similar motion against then Supplies Minister late Gajendra Narayan Singh for deliberately ignoring the committee´s calls about 15 years ago.
Stating that the government has remained apathetic toward development of agriculture sector, the plight of farmers and deepening shortage of agriculture inputs in the farming season, the meeting on the day also decided to summon the Prime Minster, Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister and secretaries of the concerned ministries on August 1 to clarify the government´s policy on agriculture sector.
The PAC had summoned Minister Yadav and Secretary Umakant Jha on the day to furnish clarification on among others shortage of chemical fertilizers and inputs during the ongoing paddy plantation season.
However, Yadav and Jha failed to show up for the meeting. Both of them flew to Colombo on Wednesday to attend Asia Regional Ministerial Meeting on Aquaculture for Food Security Nutrition and Economic Development. The regional meeting will continue till Friday.
Though acting secretary Dr Hari Dahal, joint secretary Bishnu Aryal and senior scientist Hasta Bahadur Bista had attended the meeting, deliberations could not begin after the committee members said discussions cannot be started in the absence of concerned minister and secretary.
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