Opposition emphasises on special budget

Leaders of the political parties during a meeting at the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) said that the government should bring a special budget for regular expenses.
However, the government should not be allowed to bring a full fledged budget, as according to the tradition since the last four fiscal years after the Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, they said, urging for a political consensus before the budget.
Entrepreneurs, though agreed on a political consensus for a full-fledged budget, were of the view that a full-fledged budget should come on time as it is key in generating economic activities in the country. "The government should, however, bring the budget on the basis of minimum economic agenda," they said, adding that the budget should ensure security of private property, economic freedom, security of domestic and foreign investments, and commitment to not disturb the business and economic environment.
The meeting — that was participated by former finance ministers Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Surendra Pandey and Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, and former foreign minister and Madheshi Janadhikar Forum chairman Upendra Yadav — also discussed the minimum economic agenda prepared by the umbrella organisation of the private sector.

President consults economists
KATHMANDU: During a consultation with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, economists have suggested that the incumbent caretaker government should bring a special budget. "The government should bring a special budget — that is one third of the current fiscal year's budget of Rs 384.90 billion — as it is a caretaker government," said senior economist Prof Dr Biswambher Pyakurel, who led a team of economists including Prof Dr Madan Kumar Dahal, Dr Posh Raj Pandey, Dr Jagdish Chandra Pokharel, Prithvi Raj Ligal and Bimal Koirala. "The budget should address the basic social security, healthcare and water issues," he said, adding that it should also take care of elections, if it is going to take place or not. The new government, only after a political consensus, has the right to bring a full-fledged budget according to the Interim Constitution," suggested the economists.