Prime Minister Balendra Shah has been holding direct consultations with lawmakers at the Prime Minister’s Office over the past two days, seeking suggestions on development priorities and governance reforms.

He met lawmakers from Koshi, Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces separately on Monday and Tuesday, discussing development issues and asking for their input.

Shah is preparing to shape a broader plan based on suggestions from lawmakers across all seven provinces, covering budget formulation and governance reforms. The consultations are aimed at understanding regional needs and lawmakers’ perspectives through direct engagement.

Previously, interactions between the prime minister and lawmakers took place mainly during parliamentary sessions. Shah has now begun gathering suggestions before the House convenes.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party and Shram Sanskriti Party have taken part in the discussions.

Ashim Sah, chief political adviser to the prime minister, said the consultations were initiated to gather inputs on governance and development. Prime Minister Shah asked lawmakers to suggest immediate priorities for the early phase of his tenure.

After hearing their views, Shah said he would prioritise establishing good governance in the first year and ensure that budget allocations are based on provincial needs without discrimination.

Koshi Province: Focus on pending laws

Congress lawmaker Nishkal Rai, elected from Ilam–1, said he raised development concerns for his constituency and the country during his meeting with the Prime Minister.

He said Shah asked what could be done in the initial phase, to which lawmakers stressed the need for laws required to implement the Constitution. They also urged the continuation of bills prioritised by previous governments.

Rai added that lawmakers recommended implementing the government’s 100-point work plan, which would require new legislation.

He said the prime minister indicated that the budget would be prepared in a planned manner and that the first year would focus on governance reforms.

UML lawmaker Rajendra Rai said Shah asked for suggestions on immediate work that could be carried out at the district level.

He quoted Shah as saying that local issues should be addressed in the short term, while long-term matters could be handled during the budget process.

Rai said lawmakers supported development efforts but stressed the need for peace and stability. He also said he urged the prime minister to release CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli, who is under detention in connection with an investigation into the Gen Z movement crackdown case.

He said Shah did not respond to the request.

The prime minister said broader discussions on long-term plans would follow. He reiterated that the current focus is on governance, with development to follow.

Karnali Province: Concerns over budget allocation

Lawmakers from Karnali raised concerns over what they described as unequal budget allocation, urging the government to ensure fair treatment.

Gopal Sharma, a lawmaker from Rukum West, said Prime Minister Shah sought direct information on development challenges across provinces.

He said lawmakers explained why Karnali has lagged and called for an end to past disparities. According to Sharma, Shah assured that there would be no discrimination in future budget allocations.

The prime minister also asked lawmakers to report local issues through his secretariat for timely resolution.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party lawmaker Gyan Bahadur Shahi, from Jumla, said he drew attention to development needs in Karnali and urged the release of pending funds.

He said projects had stalled due to delays in previous budgets and called for renewed focus on the region.

Sudurpashchim Province: Development and political concerns

Lawmakers from Sudurpashchim reminded Shah of his campaign commitments and urged him to deliver on development promises.

UML lawmaker Ain Bahadur Mahar said lawmakers pressed the Prime Minister to translate his pledges into action.

He said Shah sought to understand provincial needs and asked what could be done for development.

Mahar added that lawmakers told him he must succeed and emphasised the need for political stability.

He also advised Shah to work with all parties and avoid actions driven by revenge or bias, warning that previous governments have often failed to complete full terms despite strong mandates.

Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Ananda Bahadur Chand said the meeting focused largely on development priorities, including the upgrading of the Shahid Dashrath Chand University of Health Sciences.

Another RSP lawmaker, KP Khanal, raised the issue of launching medical education at the Geta-based health sciences university.

Khanal said the prime minister expressed readiness to move forward with necessary approvals and indicated the process would be advanced.