Kathmandu, May 31: Discussions on the budget for fiscal year 2073/74 BS have begun in the Legislature-Parliament from today. The discussions began soon after the House resumed as it was obstructed since Monday due to protest by the main opposition Nepali Congress.

NC had obstructed the Parliament meeting demanding inquiry into the leakage of budget information before it was presented in the parliament.

The ruling and opposition parties agreed to form a probe committee in this matter and constituted an 8-member committee led by NC lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak this afternoon. With this, the house began its business soon after the Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel presented the proposal seeking the House start discussions on annual estimates of revenue and expenditure for fiscal year 2073/74 BS.

Speaking at the meeting, former Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said that the budget was issued violating fiscal discipline. He added that internal revenue cannot bear the development expenditure.

Mahat also said that economic crisis may occur as thedevelopment expenditure in the budget was less than the general expenditure. It might trigger a price hike, he argued. NC leader Mahat objected citing that the programme to build the Krishna Prasad Bhattarai Mass Communication Foundation has not been mentioned in the budget as it was developed in his tenure.

Adding the social security allowance was positive but it needed effective mechanism for its implementation, Mahat said.

On the other hand, former Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari said that the budget has allocated adequate funds for completing the post-quake reconstruction by three years and increasing the budget in the energy sector was positive side of the budget.

He added that linking road networks in each village, doubling the social security allowance and budget for local bodies were guided by the ‘ welfare state’ concept.

“All people are a happy lot as the budget is balanced and has increased the budget for capital expenditure,” the former Finance Minister said.
He also suggested forming a monitoring committee under chairmanship of Prime Minister to implement the budget effectively.
Adhikari, however, noted that the budget fails to accommodate a plan to promote small and cottage industry.
On its implementation, he said the budget is implementable, urging all ruling and opposition parties to unite to implement it and the constitution.
Likewise, Dhani Ram Poudel of the UCPN (Maoist) believed that the budget, the first of its kind after the promulgation of the constitution, will serve as a milestone in the implementation of the constitution.
He also noted that the budget fails to increase the size of budgetary allocation for the April 25 earthquake survivors, while suggesting strengthening bureaucracy to enforce it.
Similarly, Dilnath Giri of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal criticised the budget for failing to release the budget to make barren land arable.