The Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) has passed the National Sports Development Bill-2075. In today’s meeting of the Committee held at Singha Durbar, Committee Chair Jaya Puri Gharti announced the endorsement of the bill unopposed. Puri said volleyball has been mentioned as the national game in the bill after a long discussion. As per the bill, recommendation for the appointment of member-secretary of the National Sports Council would be made as per the committee’s decision. A three-member committee comprising secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, coordinator of the committee, a woman and an expert would recommend the name for member-secretary. The term of member-secretary would be for four years and he/she could be re-appointed for next term, reads the bill. Before this, the appointment of the member-secretary of NSC was being made at the direct recommendation of the Ministry. The bill has set criteria for the member-secretary candidate that he/she should be at least 30 years, BA pass and at least five-year work experience in sports sector. The NSC would be 17-member committee and there should be mandatory representation of four organisations—Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Committee member Jeevanram Shrestha said, “There is significant contribution of the four organisations in development of sports sector of the country. Mandatory representation of the organisations in NSC has been made based on their contribution.” Similarly, the bill has also made provision of executive committee to run the NSC as well as finalized the definition of international athlete. The bill has defined the player, who has represented in Olympic, Asian and South Asian Games, or games organsied by International Games Association, Federation as well as world championships, as international athlete. As per the bill, national-level athlete has been defined as a player who has participated in national sports championships organised by the NSC. Committee chair Gharti, Minister for Youth and Sports, Jagat Bahadur Bishwokarma, lawmakers Jeevanram Shrestha, Khagaraj Adhikari, Gagan Thapa, Anjana Bishanke, Rekha Kumari, Sarita Neupane, Bishya Bhattarai, Chitra Lekha Yadav and Man Kumari GC, among others were present in the meeting.
