Culture Minister Calls for Empowering Recommendation Committee in Intangible Heritage Promotion

Kathmandu. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Anil Kumar Sinha has stated that the process must move forward by ensuring the recommendation committee has the authority to make decisions for the promotion of intangible cultural heritage.

Minister Sinha expressed this view on Friday while speaking during the clause-by-clause discussion on the bill at the Legislation Management Committee meeting held at Singha Durbar. He noted that there is ambiguity in the decision-making process as the current roles, duties, and authority of the recommendation committee are limited to submitting recommendations and opinions.

He emphasized that if the committee's recommendation is to be considered the final decision, this must be clearly stipulated in the bill; otherwise, a body responsible for making the decision after receiving the recommendation must be designated. He advocated for strengthening the system according to the principle of 'check and balance' and maintained that the authority for necessary strengthening should remain under the jurisdiction of the Government of Nepal.

He stated, 'Since the recommendation committee is only given the authority to recommend and submit opinions, if that recommendation is to be considered the decision, it must be incorporated. If the committee has sent a recommendation, there must be someone to make the decision. Will the matter recommended by the committee be accepted, or will a decision be made by stating the basis and reason for it? The bill must clarify this issue.Since the method of 'check and balance' must also be adopted, the matter of strengthening will be kept under the authority of the Government of Nepal.'

He urged the committee to move forward accordingly, stating that maintaining policy clarity in the bill would strengthen the balance of power and the monitoring system.