Clause-by-Clause Discussion Concludes on Intangible Cultural Heritage Bill in National Assembly Committee

Kathmandu. The clause-by-clause discussion on the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Protection) Bill, 2081, has concluded in the Legislation Management Committee of the National Assembly.

The committee meeting held at Singha Durbar on Friday concluded the clause-by-clause deliberation, deciding to discuss the unresolved issues in the report itself. This bill has been introduced to implement the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003, to which Nepal is a party nation.

Speaking at the meeting, Committee Chairperson Tulsakumari Dahal directed the committee secretariat to prepare a draft report incorporating the issues finalized through discussion. She advised the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to conduct necessary homework on linguistic matters and issues where consensus could not be reached.

She also informed that they would proceed by consulting experts on the matters where consensus could not be achieved. Participating lawmakers emphasized the need to arrange for punishment according to prevailing laws for anyone found guilty of misuse or trafficking of the inventoried intangible cultural heritage.

Their demand is to include a mandatory provision for the government to formulate and implement plans and programs for the protection of documented and inventoried heritage.