Monday, April 8, 2019

MPs going to village to collect the suggestion for budget

The members of parliament (MPs) are visiting the country to take suggestions fro the budget for the next fiscal year.
The meeting, chaired by committee president Krishna Prasad Dahal, has decided to suggest to the government to include in the next fiscal year's budget the conclusions drawn after making onsite visits to the major customs offices and the national pride projects. The meeting also decided to collect the views of the local and state governments as well as the private sector and the general public for the recommendation to the government.
The parliamentary committee organised the meeting today for constructive suggestions from lawmakers for the budget for next fiscal year. The parliament’s Finance Committee has formed two separate panels to reach to all provinces to study their respective fiscal policies and programmes.
According to the parliamentary committee, the dialogue will also bridge the governance gap among three tiers of the government. A team led by former finance minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki will visit Jhapa and Biratnagar of Province 1, Janakpur and Birgunj of Province 2 and Hetauda of Province 3.
Likewise, another former finance minister Surendra Pandey will lead the second team that will organise discussions in Pokhara of Gandaki Province, Butwal and Nepalgunj of Province 5, Surkhet of Karnali Province, and Dhangadhi of Sudurpaschim Province.
Each panel will have 12 lawmakers. The panels will leave for provinces for discussions in the third week of April.
Both the panels will prepare detailed report and submit it to the government. "The federal government will incorporate suggestions while preparing budget, according to the secretary of the Finance Committee Surendra Aryal.
Former finance minister Pandey, on the occasion, said that the government should bring the budget for the next fiscal year by considering the suggestions they will make after visiting the country.
Likewise, former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai – also the coordinator of the Naya Shakti Party Nepal – said that the system of distribution of budget in Nepal is rampant. "The budgetary allocation is made not on the basis of priority but on the basis of proximity to political power and 'informal recommendations'," he blamed, suggesting for the maximum utilisation of the limited means and resources, increasing the tax sphere, increasing capital expenditures within the set timeframe and not allotting budget under unnecessary headings.
The government has 45 days to present the budget for fiscal year 2019-20 in line with the constitutional provisions.

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