Kathmandu, June 2

Lawmakers of various political parties continued opposing and defending the contents of the fiscal budget 2015/16 at the meeting of the Legislature Parliament today.

Preliminary discussions on the budget are set to conclude tomorrow.

Taking part in today’s discussions, Nepali Congress lawmaker Prakash Sharan Mahat said the estimation of the budget including generating resources from revenue and foreign support and making the country self-dependent in paddy within two years are baseless.

As the budget is distributive it will be difficult to provide relief to people, Mahat said. Although some issues like increase in social security allowances are good, problems may occur in distribution, he said.

Gokarna Bista of CPN-UML said the budget had raised hope in all people except some limited persons and groups as it had focused on agriculture, energy, irrigation, social security, development of structures and reconstruction issues.

He lauded the budgetary programmes that targeted increased economic growth to develop the country till 2022 from an underdeveloped status. “If proper resources are mobilised, the economic growth rate could be raised by 6.5 per cent as projected,” he said.

Stating that the budget was based on ground reality, Bista said if some development projects begin in time, they will definitely support in achieving the estimated economic growth.

CPN Maoist Centre’s Janardan Sharma said although overall, the budget was good, it failed to specify its programmes for reducing business loss and increasing employment and the capacity of government bodies to spend.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s lawmaker Sunil Bahadur Thapa asked why the communist government had not given priority to agricultural productivity and wealth generation.

“This budget is like a sugar-coated tablet,” he said, adding that it failed to address national concerns, including generation of employment.

Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel is scheduled to reply to the concerns raised during discussions on the budget at tomorrow’s Parliament meeting.

After this, the Parliament will begin clause-wise discussions on the Appropriation Bill that will include ministry-wise budget allocations, according to assistant spokesperson of Parliament Secretariat Sudarshan Kuinkel.

The government is planning to pass the budget before July 15.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers, taking special time at the beginning of today’s House meeting, drew the government’s attention to the need address the problems faced by people of their constituencies.

Kanchan Chandra Bade of Nepali Congress urged the government to provide relief to landslide and flood victims of Kavre as they were facing severe problems due to recent landslide and flood incidents.

Ramhari Subedi of CPN-UML demanded inclusion of those earthquake victims who missed being listed for relief programmes.

Ramhari Khatiwada of NC and Harkabol Rai of CPN-UML demanded Rs 1 million for each family bereaved due to the demise of their family members in the recent tractor accident in Okhaldhunga.

Earlier today, lawmakers of agitating Madhes-based parties boycotted House meeting after Dimpal Kumari Jha of Sanghiya Sadbhawana Party addressed the House saying that the parties were continuing to boycott the House meeting as the government had not shown interest in addressing their concerns.