KATHMANDU, MAY 19
President Ramchandra Paudel presented the policies and programmes of the government at the joint meeting of both Houses for the next fiscal year 2023-024) today.
The document states the government's first priority is to institutionalise socialist-oriented economy and governance system. Similarly, implementation of the constitution and federalism, effective economic reform, frugality in public expenditure, increase in capital expenditure and other issues are also the government's priorities. Quality infrastructure construction and improvement in service delivery, increase in production and employment, development of green economy, are the other priorities.
For expansion of the economy, private sector participation, agile revenue administration, effective capital expenditure, reduction in public expenditure have been included in the annual policy and programme.
It has also decided to make distribution of national income equitable and to make the private sector the main partner of economic development. "Through strong partnership between the government and the private sector, the country will be economically strong with increased production and job creation. Foreign investment will be mobilised in priority areas," reads the annual policy and programme.
The government has brought an annual policy and programme with a plan to take some important steps to improve the tax system.
"Revenue administration will be made more robust and agile. The existing tax system will be reviewed. The scope of revenue will be expanded," the policy and programme states. In addition, 'all types of economic activities will be integrated into the formal system. Revenue leakage, under-billing, hundi, investment in illegal business and national capital flight will be strictly controlled.' The government said the annual budget spending system will be effective and organised. It plans to increase capital expenditure and cut public expenditure. It is also stated in the policy and programme that economic administration will be made transparent, result-oriented and based on information technology.
The government's policy and programme has pledged that government procurement monitoring process will be made more transparent and organised through the Public Procurement Monitoring Office. The legal provisions related to public procurement monitoring will be revised and amended.
The government plans to gradually make the electronic procurement system mandatory.
Paudel said that financial federalism will be implemented effectively.
It is mentioned that financial transfers will be based on the need for expenditure and the capacity of revenue.
Next year's policy and programme is also said to link financial transfer with performance. The policies and programmes also cover the problems recently seen in banks and financial institutions.
Major policies
• Zero tolerance against corruption
• Indigenous films and documentaries to be promoted
• National culture policy to be formulated
• Federal Education Act to be passed
• Journalists and mass media workers to be included in social security
• Meteorological and Forecasting system to be made effective
• Study to be conducted for production and use of the hydrogen within country
• Chemical fertilisers to be made available on time
• Citizens living abroad to be allowed to vote in the periodic elections
• Medical Education Institutions to be brought under Umbrella Act.
• Janaki Temple to be included in the World Heritage Site
• Lenses produced by the Tilganga hospital to be globalised
• Radio Nepal and Nepal Television to be merged and broadcast together
• Infrastructure for development of the cricket to be construed
• Private sector to be promoted as economic partner
A version of this article appears in the print on May 20, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
