Budget was leaked on July 12

In a surprising revelation, it is found that the budget has been leaked two days ago the planned announcement, not only 25 hours ago as the Parliament has stated.
The budget was planned to announce on July 14 but due to last hour political tug of war between a Madhesh-based party UMDF and government it was halted and was presented on July 15. "But the budget was already leaked on July 12 — two days ago the earlier planned announcement,” said a source at the Finance Ministry.
Normally, the government’s annual budget is a highly guarded secret also due to change in tax rates and policies that in case of leakage would not only hurt the consumers but also the government coffer. “The Finance Ministry has failed to mobilise revenue according to its target in the fiscal year 2010-11 and this fiscal year too, it will not meet the target,” the source said, adding that Last fiscal year the budget had targetted to mobilise Rs 216.67 billion revenue but Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari, himself revised to be over Rs 10 billion shortfall to Rs 206 billion only. This fiscal year the budget has targetted Rs 246 billion revenue mobilisation. But the leakage of budget will hurt the revenue mobilisation, the source added.
The government’s failure in maintaining secrecy has drawn flak from former finance secretaries too. “It has brought a shame to the Finance Ministry,” they said.
The movement in the Finance Ministry is blocked and special security is deployed for the state secrecy. “Though, the copy of the budget was leaked on July 12, the Finance Minister tried to cover his ‘immoral act’ by requesting the journalists on July 14 not to publish it and maintain secrecy,” the source said, adding that it is the first time in the history of Finance Ministry that the budget has been leaked that is an example of weak leadership and a policy corruption as the budget has only added burden on people, whereas the businesmen have benefitted.
The House has formed a seven-member special inquiry committee to probe leakage of the fiscal budget estimation after the opposition Nepali Congress asked resignation of Finance Minister Adhikari. “He has to take moral responsibility and resign as it is a financial crime and policy corruption,” former finance ministry Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said.
However, Adhikari today claimed that he is not responsible for the leakage. He blamed UMDF and Prime Minister for the leakage.
The panel headed by Nepali Congress Chief Whip Laxman Ghimire will grill Adhikari and Finance Secretary Krishnahari Baskota over the leakage of budget 25 hours before its presentation in the House tomorrow.