House MPs straddle fence over budget facets

Kathmandu, July 14:

Some Members of Parliament (MPs) supported while others criticised different aspects of the budget for the next fiscal year, in the House of Representatives today.

Minister for Finance Dr Ram Sharan Mahat lent a patient ear to the parliamentarians’ suggestions and criticism.

Stating that the budget outlay is the seven-party alliance’s creation, Bharat Mohan Adhikari of the UML, however, said that the budget was not groundbreaking.

MP and chief of the Rastriya Jana Shakti Party, Surya Bahadur Thapa said two key factors should be addressed for better implementation of the budget. “The local authority and the bureaucracy should be capable of proper implementation of the budget,” said Thapa.

He said if the bureaucracy does not function properly, the budget cannot be implemented effectively. “This budget should be lightly in today’s context and practice,” said Thapa.

He also suggested prioritising political issues in order to boost the economy.

MP and chief of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Pashupati Shumsher Rana said the budget had contradictory elements in it because while earlier there was the political commitment to form an interim government, the budget had been designed for a whole fiscal year.

“It cuts like this. It could be that this government has no intention of forming an interim government because it has passed a budget for one fiscal year.

On the other hand, if an interim government is to be formed then what was the logic behind passing this budget?” said Rana. He also said that without strengthening and modernising the police force there would

never be a fear-free environment for the elections to a constituent assembly.

“The morale of the police force should be boosted for creating a fear-free environment for holding elections to the constituent assembly,” said Rana.

Janamorcha Nepal MP Chitra Bahadur KC said that the budget was aid-oriented and thus cannot address the issues. He urged for a tighter squeeze on the palace budget.

“The palace budget has been deducted and the King’s salary is liable to tax but what about his additional property?” said KC. He said that the budget had also failed to address the issue of squatters.