The Constituent Assembly (CA) committee for restructuring of the state and devolution of state power has agreed to empower states with the right to self-determination except for secession in the new constitution.

A meeting of the committee held Monday passed such proposal with minor changes to a report submitted by a five-member panel led by Unified CPN (Maoist) CA member Hitman Shakya.

The panel was formed to settle differences among the parties on the definition of right to self-determination.

Some CA members had opposed to the idea of self-determination right saying such provision would split the country.

Based on the report of the panel, the committee has defined right to self-determination as the right to use the natural and other resources in a certain area and utilize it for the economic development of the area, and decided to give autonomy to the federal units for the same.

States and regions under special structures of the federal units can exercise autonomy and right to self-determination on political, cultural, religion, education, information, communication, health, housing, employment, social welfare, economic activities, commerce, land and resource management, environment and financing these autonomous functions, within the limits of the constitution and the federal laws.

The committee has also decided the federal units should take into consideration the country's sovereignty, autonomy, independence, unity and regional integrity while exercising their right to self-determination. nepalnews.com