The Parliament today extended the term of the panel formed to study and recommend measures to reform state oil monopoly.

The 11-member panel that was formed on March 28 was asked to submit report within a month, but the panel got a month extension to study Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and fuel business in detail.

“The parliament considered our request to extended deadline by a month as we are yet to discuss with concerned stakeholders,” said a RPP-Nepal parliamentarian Biraj Bahadur Bista, who is also a member of the panel.

The committee has discussed with officials of NOC and Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, so far, he said, adding that the committee is preparing to hold meeting with officials at the Finance Ministry. “The panel is also planning to hold discussion with Citizens Investment Trust (CIT) and Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), the two major lenders of NOC.”

Apart from discussions with stakeholders, they are also planning a field visit to study works on pipeline.

The panel has Padma Narayan Chaudhary – as the leader – and Atahar Mushahar, Janardan Sharma, Bhakti Pandey, Bharat Sah, Biraj Bahadur Bista, Mohammad M Alam, Rabindra Adhikari, Rajendra Pandey, Ranju Jha and Usha Gurung.

The panel is expected to give a mantra to solve repeated problem of petroleum supply as it has representation from all the major parties, unlike earlier committees.

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