Finance Minister positive, budget will pass

The government will run out of expenses in less than a month unless it can lift opposition United Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist) protests in parliament and pass the budget for the fiscal year 2009-10.
But finance minister Surendra Pandey is hopeful that the UCPNM will help pass the budget. "If they will not assist, their combatents in the UN-monitored camps -- along with civil servants and parliamentarians -- will also suffer," he said addressing media at the Reporters' Club in the Valley today.
The parliament must approve this fiscal year's budget by the middle of November or face a likely shutdown of the administration, with the government unable to pay employees. "We have already stopped the minister's salary," he said.
The UCPNM lawmakers have held up proceedings in the parliament for a couple of months with protests against the president for rejecting the dismissal of the army chief by their government. They have been asking for the correction of the President's move, which literally means the fall of incumbent Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government.
The decision by the President -- who officially commands the military -- led Maoist leader and then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' to resign. A present coalition government took over in May.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav had overruled Dahal's attempts to fire the then army chief, saying they were unconstitutional.
If the budget could not be passed, the government has to bring ordinance. "But there is no need to go through ordinance," Pandey said suggesting the UCPNM to go to street "but not to obstruct parliament and let the budget pass."
He claimed that budget and Civil Supremacy is different issue. "Reinstatement of chief of army staff by president and budget is completely a different issue," he tried to convince the former guerrillas. "Budget is an issue of public concern," he added.
Delay in passing the budget has creating problems, he said adding that ministers pay has already been stopped.
Due to delay in passing the budget, government has been facing problems in development expenditure, he said adding that the trend will encourage spending of development budget at the end of fiscal year that should not happen.

What's in Constitution?
KATHMANDU: according to the Interim Constitution of Nepal, Article 96 Votes on Account:
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Part, a portion of the expenditure estimated for the financial year may, when an Appropriation Bill is under consideration, be incurred in advance by an Act.
(2) A Vote on Account Bill shall not be submitted until the estimates of revenues and expenditures have been presented in accordance with the provisions of Article 92 and the sums involved in the Vote on Account shall not exceed one-third of the estimate of expenditure for the financial year.
(3) The expenditure incurred in accordance with the Vote on Account Act shall be included in the Appropriation Bill.

Mega Cities planned
KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Surendra Pandey said that government is planning three mega cities. But he didnot elaborate. He also informed that government is promoting developing activities in seven priority sectors. "The government is bringing policies for maximum land utilisation, increasing self-reliance on agriculture, tourism promotion and using forestry for economic benefit," he detailed. Revenue collection has been satisfactory so far, he said adding that the government is raking more revenue in comparison to last year.