CPNMC dissatisfied with budget

Kathmandu, May 29

One of the major coalition partners of CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli-led government  CPN Maoist Centre today expressed dissatisfaction with budgetary allocations despite the inclusion of issues raised by the ministries representing the party.

During the meeting of the CPN Maoist Centre Parliamentary Party held today to discuss the budget presented by Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel yesterday, lawmakers claimed that the budget was focused on strengthening the UML for the next election.

According to a source, the Maoist lawmakers expressed anger as they alleged that the budget had created confusion instead of addressing the issues of the peace process.

“Some issues of the peace process, including the one providing the remaining Rs 500,000 to martyrs and those disappeared were not clearly included,” said lawmaker Rupa Maharjan.

Many of the lawmakers commented that the budget benefits the middle class instead of the lower class.

Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, however, urged the lawmakers not to criticise the budget as the party was a coalition partner, but to express their dissatisfactions in polite terms.

Lawmaker Aman Lal Modi said many issues of the Maoist-led ministries were included in the budget, but partially and in such a way that the UML would get the credit.

“We have decided to support the positive parts of the budget and express dissatisfaction with the confusing issues during discussion,” Modi said.

During the meeting, former finance minister Barshaman Pun and Ram Bahadur Thapa discussed the budget, besides experts from the National Planning Commission.

Ministers Rekha Sharma and Haribol Gajurel were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Oli today directed UML lawmakers to defend the budget as opposition parties could try to render it a failure.

Addressing the parliamentary party meeting here today, leader of the CPN-UML parliamentary party Oli defended the budget claiming that the budget would orient the nation towards socialism. “We should show them how a nation can be developed by effectively implementing the budget,” he said.

Lawmaker Garima Shah said that Finance Minister Poudel had said the budget was focused on implementing the new constitution and therefore seemed distributive.