The interim election council formed
with a sole purpose of holding the second Constituent Assembly (CA) election is
handing over a comparatively robust economy to the elected government, said the
finance minister, here today.
Speaking with the journalists
here today finance minister Shankar Prasad Koirala said that the government was,
though formed with a sole purpose of holding a free, fair and peaceful election,
is handing a comparatively robust economy to the elected government in around a
couple of weeks. "We have tried our best to stabilise the economy, if not
better it," he said, adding that the current macroeconomic indicators are
satisfactory.
The revenue growth rate stands at
27 per cent, which is encouraging, he said, adding that deposits in the banks have also seen
increment, though lending has been slowed down. "Even the Nepse index has
rebounded to the four year high."
The political parties have
included economic agenda in their election manifesto, which is not very
different unlike earlier, he added. "Those who used to treat hydropower as
political issues have come to the same understanding that it is a must to
develop economy, which is also encouraging."
Likewise, the budget for the
current fiscal year 2013-14 – announced by the incumbent government – has also
based on common minimum economic agenda, making it easier for the elected
government to own, Koirala claimed, adding that with a strong willpower, it is
not impossible to bring change as the country does have enough resources.
"Blaming others is no
solution to the development," said the former secretary-turned finance
minister, sharing his both experience. "However, our bureaucracy is more
process-oriented, which has been delaying the development works."
The country is taking part in the
second CA election tomorrow, though the 33-party led by the hardliner
CPN-Maoist party has been opposing the poll scheduled for November 19 blaming
the incumbent government an unconstitutional one.
After the first CA failed – on
May 28 – to draft a Constitution, the then UCPN-Maoist leader Dr Baburam
Bhattrai-led government handed over the government to the former bureaucrats
led by the chief justice Khila Raj Regmi, whom the CPN-Maoist have been asking
to resign from the post of chief justice as the same person heading the
judiciary and executive is against the Constitution.
However, Dr Bhattarai felt comfortable
to hand over the government to the former bureaucrats – amending the interim
Constitution – instead of the political parties due to political tug-of-war.
Despite various odds the
incumbent government has fulfilled its duty, Koirala said, adding that he is
ready to bid adieu satisfactorily after the elected government comes into shape
in a couple of weeks.
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