Former finance ministers doubt implementation

Former finance ministers doubted the implementation of budget for the fiscal year 2013-14 announced by the finance minister Shankar Koirala yesterday.

At an interaction programme organised at the Reporters Club, here today, some of them also criticisised the government for bringing full-fledged budget though the election government has a mandated till November only.

As it’s an election budget, there is a very few chances to be implemented, former finance minister and CPN-UML leader Surendra Pandey said. “Even the regular budgets have not been implemented, how the election budget can be successfully implemented,” he asked, adding that the government has a mandate till November 4.

He also blamed the government’s inability to address rising inflation.

“The inflation is going to rise,” said another former finance minister and UCPN-Maoist leader Barsha Man Pun, on the occasion.

Likewise, former finance minister and Nepali Congress leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat blamed the budget for failing to include programmes that could have strengthened the economy.
However, National Planning Commission (NPC) vice chair Rabindra Kumar Shakya, as usual, defended the budget.