एमसिए–नेपालद्वारा न्यू बुटवल सबस्टेशन र १८ किमि प्रसारण लाइन निर्माण सुरु

एमसिए–नेपालले बुधबार (आज) नवलपरासी (बर्दघाट सुस्ता पश्चिम)को सुनवलमा आयोजित एक समारोहबीच न्यू बुटवल सबस्टेशन र १८ किमि प्रसारण लाइन निर्माण कार्यको शुभारम्भ गरेको छ । एमसीसी नेपाल कम्प्याक्ट कार्यक्रम अन्तर्गत निर्माण गर्न लागिएका यी नयाँ पूर्वाधारले नेपालको विद्युतीय सञ्जाललाई सशक्तीकरण गर्नुका साथै नेपाल र भारतबीच महत्वपूर्ण ऊर्जा व्यापार अन्तरसम्बन्ध स्थापना गर्ने मिलेनियम च्यालेञ्ज एकाउण्ट नेपाल विकास समिति (एमसिए–नेपाल) जनाएको छ ।

अर्थमन्त्री रामेश्वरप्रसाद खनाल, नेपालका लागि संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाका राजदूत डिन आर थम्प्सन, एमसीसीका आवासीय राष्ट्र निर्देशक डायन फ्रान्सिस्को, एमसिए–नेपालका कार्यकारी निर्देशक खड्ग बहादुर विष्ट तथा स्थानीय जनप्रतिनिधिको समुपस्थितिमा उक्त निर्माण शुभारम्भ कार्यक्रम आयोजना भएको थियो । 

“स्वच्छ ऊर्जामा पहुँचको विस्तार, क्षेत्रीय ऊर्जा व्यापारमा अभिवृद्धि तथा दीर्घकालीन आर्थिक वृद्धि हासिल गर्ने राष्ट्रिय लक्ष्यमा सहयोग पु¥याउने नेपाल सरकारको सशक्त प्रतिबद्धता यस आयोजनामा प्रतिविम्बित भएको छ । एमसीसी र एमसिए–नेपालको सहयोगबाट हामी राष्ट्रको हितका लागि सम्झौतालाई कार्यरूपमा रूपान्तरण गर्दैछौँ,” कार्यक्रममा अर्थमन्त्री खनालले भने ।

“थप भरपर्दाे ऊर्जा प्रणाली निर्माण गर्ने कार्यमा एक प्रतिबद्ध साझेदारका रूपमा नेपालसँग उभिन पाउँदा संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकालाई गर्व लागेको छ”, नेपालका लागि संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाका राजदूत थम्प्सनले भने, “प्रसारण लाइन तथा सबस्टेशन जस्ता आयोजनाहरूले घरपरिवार तथा व्यवसायहरूका बत्ती बाल्नमा मात्र सघाउने नभई यस क्षेत्रभरि नै व्यापार, वृद्धि तथा प्रगतिका लागि अवसरहरू पनि सिर्जना गर्छ । आजको यो कार्यक्रम हामी सहकार्यबाट के कति हासिल गर्न सक्छौँ भन्ने कुराको प्रमाण हो ।”

“नेपालको ऊर्जा सुरक्षा सशक्त बनाउने सन्दर्भमा आज एउटा नयाँ अध्याय थपिएको छ”, एमसिए–नेपालका कार्यकारी निर्देशक विष्टले कार्यक्रममा भने, “यस प्रसारण लाइन तथा सबस्टेशनले ऊर्जा व्यापार विस्तार गर्न तथा नेपालीका लागि दीर्घकालीन लाभ दिलाउनमा नयाँ अवसरहरू सिर्जना गर्नेछन् । नेपाल सरकार तथा अमेरिकी सरकारको एमसीसीसँगको निकटतम साझेदारीमा यस आयोजनाको कार्यान्वयन गर्न पाएकोमा एमसिए–नेपाल गौरवान्वित छ र यसलाई सफल बनाउनमा प्रतिबद्ध छ ।”

यस १८ किमि प्रसारण लाइनले ४०० केभी न्यू बुटवल सबस्टेशनलाई नेपाल–भारत सीमासँग जोड्नेछ । करिब पाँच करोड अमेरिकी डलरको लगानीमा निर्माण गरिने यी ऊर्जा पूर्वाधारले आगामी दशकभित्रमा १० हजार मेगावाट बिजुली निर्यात गर्ने लक्ष्य लिएको ऐतिहासिक ऊर्जा व्यापार सम्झौता, सन् २०२४ अन्तर्गत स्वच्छ जलविद्युत् भारत निर्यात गर्नमा नेपाललाई सघाउ पु¥याउनेछ ।

यस १८ किमि प्रसारण लाइन र न्यू बुटवल सबस्टेशनले नेपालमा बढ्दो रूपमा उत्पादन हुन थालेको जलविद्युत्लाई क्षेत्रीय बजारसँग जोड्ने हुनाले यिनीहरू नेपालको आर्थिक भविष्यका लागि महत्वपूर्ण छन् । नेपालको उच्च भोल्टेजयुक्त विद्युतीय सञ्जाललाई सशक्त बनाउँदै यस आयोजनाले घरपरिवार एवं व्यवसायहरूका लागि विद्युत् आपूर्ति थप भरपर्दाे बनाउनेछ भने विद्युत् चुहावट घटाउनुका साथै नेपाललाई ऊर्जाको वैदेशिक व्यापार गर्न सक्षम बनाउने जनाइएको छ । यी सुधारबाट व्यवसाय सञ्चालनको खर्च घट्नेछ भने नयाँ निजी लगानी आकर्षित हुने र नेपालका विकास प्राथमिकतामा पुनःलगानी गर्न सकिने थप राजस्व आर्जन गर्न सहयोग पुग्ने पनि एमसिए–नेपालले जनाएको छ ।

अर्थमन्त्रालयमा विष्णु पौडेलको पाँचौ इनिङ : अर्थतन्त्रको ‘स्लो पिच’मा हान्लान् त छक्का ?

सुन्दा अचम्म लाग्न सक्छ । तर, नेपालमा यो सामान्य हो । नेपाली काँग्रेसका सभापति शेरबहादुर देउवा पाँच पटक प्रधानमन्त्री भईसकेका छन् भने सोमबार केपी शर्मा ओलीले चौथो पटक प्रधानमन्त्रीको सपथ ग्रहण गरे ।

ओलीले चौथो पटक प्रधानमन्त्रीको सपथ ग्रहण गर्दा उनका सारथी विष्णु पौडेलले पाँचौ पटक अर्थमन्त्रीको सपथ ग्रहण गरेका छन् ।

ओली मन्त्रीपरिषदमा उपप्रधानमन्त्रीसहितको कार्यभार सम्हालेका पौडेलको सिंहदरबार यात्रा २०५३ सालमै सुरु भएको हो । २०५३ सालमा प्रधानमन्त्री लोकेन्द्रबहादुर चन्दको मन्त्रीपरिषदमा युवा, खेलकुद तथा संस्कृति मन्त्री बनेर मैदानमा उत्रिँदा पौडेल युवा नै थिए ।

त्यसैले २०८१ साल असार ३१ गते करिब तीन दशकपछि आठौं पटकको सिंहदरबार यात्रालाई अविस्मरणीय बनाउन उनी कति प्रतिबद्ध छन्, त्यो त आगामी दिनले देखाउला नै ।

किनकि यसअघि २०७९ पुसमा चौथो पटक अर्थमन्त्री बनेका पौडेलेको कार्यकाल छोटो रह्यो । तर, यसपटक उनी उपप्रधान तथा अर्थमन्त्री बन्दा पनि अनौठो संयोग बनेको छ ।

अघिल्लो दिन आइतबारसम्म पनि अध्यक्षले चाहे सघाउन सरकारमा जान तयार रहेको तर आफ्नो मन्त्री बन्ने धेरै इच्छा नभएको बताएका पौडेलले यसपटक अर्थमन्त्री पाउने/नपाउनेमा ढुक्क थिएनन् ।

यसपटक नेकपा एमालेले मन्त्री छान्ने सबै जिम्मा अध्यक्ष केपी शर्मा ओलीलाई दिएको थियो । अध्यक्ष ओलीले आफ्नो सरकार सफल बनाउन अर्थमन्त्रीमा कस्ता सारथी छान्लान् भन्ने धेरैको आ-आफ्नै अनुमान थिए । किनकि, पछिल्ला वर्षहरुमा अर्थमन्त्रीका धेरैजसो निर्णय नीतिगत भ्रष्टाचारमा लिप्त हुन थालेपछि अर्थ मन्त्रालय विवादमा आउने गरेको छ । र समग्र सरकार नै परिवर्तन भएको चर्चा राजनीतिक वृत्तमा व्यापक छ ।

त्यसमाथि अर्थतन्त्रको सुधारमा दह्रो मुटु राखेर अगाडि बढ्नु पर्ने अप्ठयारो परिस्थितीमा अर्थमन्त्री विभिन्न ब्यापारिक घराना तथा स्वार्थ समूहको खेलौना भएका कारण पनि पछिल्ला वर्षहरुमा अर्थमन्त्री बदनाम भएका छन् भने अर्थ मन्त्रालय आफ्नो निर्दिष्ट तथा लक्षित कार्यक्रम एवं बजेट कार्यान्वयनमा असफल हुँदै गएको छ । जसकारण समग्र निजी क्षेत्रको मनोबल घट्दै गएको छ, नेपालमा ब्यावसायिक वातावरण बिग्रँदै गएको छ ।

स्वाभाविक हो, अर्थतन्त्रमा ८१.५५ प्रतिशत योगदान दिने निजी क्षेत्रको मनोबल घटेपछि अर्थतन्त्र चलायमान हुन सकेको छैन । मनोबल बढ्न नसकेपछि निजी क्षेत्र लगानी गर्न हच्किएको छ । त्यसैले मुलुकमा नयाँ रोजगारी सिर्जना हुन सकेको छैन भने सरकारको आम्दानी राजश्व पनि बढ्न सकेको छैन ।

चालु अर्थिक वर्षका लागि सरकारले १४ खर्ब २२ अर्ब रुपैयाँ राजश्व उठाउने लक्ष्य राखेकोमा आर्थिक वर्षको अन्तिम दिन असार ३१ गते सोमबार (आजसम्म) १० खर्ब ३० अर्ब रुपैयाँमात्र उठाउन सफल भएको छ ।

चालु आर्थिक वर्षको राजश्व उठ्तीको प्रवृत्ती हेर्दा राती १२ बजेसम्ममा लक्ष्यको ७५ प्रतिशत राजश्व उठ्ने देखिन्छ । एकातिर विकास निर्माणका लागि सरकारलाई स्रोतको अभाव बढ्दै गएको छ भने अर्कोतिर राजश्व परिचालनमा अर्थ मन्त्रालय आसफल बन्दै गइरहेको परिप्रेक्ष्यमा अर्थमन्त्रीका रुपमा पौडेलको पाँचौ कार्यकाल चुनौतीले भरिपूर्ण रहेको छ ।

सरकारले राजश्व आम्दानी गर्न नसकेको मात्र होइन बजेट खर्च गर्न पनि सकेको छैन । खर्च भएका बजेट उत्पादक तथा अर्थतन्त्र चलायमान बनाउनेभन्दा पनि अनुत्पादक तथा अनौपचारिक अर्थतन्त्रलाई बढावा दिने प्रकृतीका छन् ।

त्यसैले अर्थमन्त्री पौडेलले निश्चित ब्यापारिक घराना हेरेर होइन, समग्र निजी क्षेत्रलाई नै प्रतिस्पर्धी बनाउने नीति ल्याउन सके मात्र मुलुकमा आर्थिक गतिविधि चलायमान हुन्छ ।

चालु आर्थिक वर्षमा बाह्य क्षेत्रमा सुधार भएको भए पनि अर्थतन्त्रको आन्तरिक क्षेत्र सुस्त नै छ । हुन त बाह्य क्षेत्र सुधारमा पनि सरकारको कुनै पनि प्रत्यक्ष्य योगदान छैन ।

किनकि, मुलुकमा रोजगारी नभएर विदेशीएका युवाले पठाएको रेमिट्यान्सको भरमा बाह्य क्षेत्रमा सुधार भएको हो । हालको रेमिट्यान्स आयको प्रवृत्ति हेर्दा विदेशिएका युवाले चालु आर्थिक वर्षमा १५ खर्ब रुपैयाँ रेमिट्यान्स पठाउने देखिन्छ ।

त्यसैले सरकारको ब्यवसायमैत्री नीतिले उत्पादन बढेर निर्यात प्रबर्धन भएर वा पर्यटन पूर्वाधारको विकासले पर्यटकको आगमन उल्लेख्यरुपमा बढेर बाह्य क्षेत्रमा सुधार भएको भए यसको दीगोपनाको वा सरकारको योगदानको चर्चा गर्न सकिन्थ्यो । तर, स्थिति त्यस्तो छैन ।

जनसंख्याको ठूलो हिस्सा विदेशिएका कारण पनि बजारमा माग सिर्जना हुन सकेको छैन । माग सिर्जना नहुँदा उत्पादनमा पनि संकुचन आएको छ । उद्योगहरु पूर्णक्षमतामा संचालन हुन सकेका छैनन् । जसको कारण अर्थतन्त्र एउटा गोलचक्करमा फसेको छ ।

तसर्थ पनि अर्थमन्त्रीमा पाँचौ इनिङ पौडेलको लागि फलामको च्यूरा सावित हुने अनुमान गर्न सकिन्छ ।

बाह्य क्षेत्रको सुधारको दीगोपनामा शंका भए पनि बाह्य क्षेत्र सुधारीएको फाइदा लिएर आन्तरिक क्षेत्र सुधारमा प्रयत्न गर्न सकिन्थ्यो । तर, नेपालको दुर्भाग्य, अर्थतन्त्र सुधार गर्ने दह्रो मुटु भएको अर्थमन्त्री पाउनै सकेन देशले ।

अर्थमन्त्रीहरु ब्यापारिक घरानाका मुन्शी वा स्वार्थ समूहको नीतिगत भ्रष्टाचारका साक्षीमात्र भएका कारण सिंहदरबारमा फोटो झुण्ड्याउने बाहेक खासै केहि उल्लेखनीय काम गर्न सकेनन् । कसै कसैले केहि गर्न खोजे पनि प्रधानमन्त्री हावी भए ।

त्यसैले, २०६४ सालदेखि पछिका सबैजसो सरकारको नीति अर्थतन्त्र सुधार गर्नेभन्दा पनि राज्यका स्रोत साधन दोहन गर्नमा केन्द्रीकृत भएका कारण अर्थतन्त्र चलायमान हुन सकेन । अझ २०७४ साल पछि त खुलेआम नीतिगत भ्रष्टाचार संस्थागत हुन थाल्यो ।

उदाहरणको लागि हेरौं न, एउटा नियामक निकाय धितोपत्र बोर्डको अध्यक्ष चयनमा वर्तमान तथा पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्री र अर्थमन्त्रीको अनावश्यक र रहस्यमय रुची, राजनीतिक खेलकुद तथा हस्तक्षेप ।

त्यसैले, अर्थमन्त्रीका रुपमा पौडेलले मुलुकमा उद्यम गरेर खाने वातावरण बनाउँदा कुनै पनि ब्यावसायिक घरानाको स्वार्थमा धक्का पुग्दैन । बरु झन् ब्यवासायिक घरानाको पनि बजार बढ्छ भनेर बुझाउन सके भने उनको कार्यकाल आधा सफल हुन्छ ।

त्यसपछि, बढ्दो चालु खर्च र चालु खर्चको प्रोडक्टिभिटी र इफिसियन्सीमाथि निर्मम समीक्षा जरुरी छ ।

आर्थिक वर्ष २०८१/८२ देखि सरकारले विगतमा लिएको आन्तरिक तथा बाह्य ऋणको साँवाब्याज तिर्नमात्रै ५ खर्ब रुपैयाँभन्दा बढी खर्च हुने देखिन्छ । २०७४ मा ओली प्रधानमन्त्री भएपछि अन्धाधुन्धा ऋण लिने र अनुत्पादक क्षेत्रमा खर्च गर्ने कुप्रथा सुरु भएको थियो ।

ओलीको ४३ महिने कार्यकालमा पाैडेल पनि छोटो समय अर्थमन्त्री बनेका थिए । र, त्यो ४३ महिनामा २५० प्रतिशतले ऋण बढेको थियो । सार्वजनिक ऋण व्यवस्थापन कार्यालयको तथ्यांकअनुसार आर्थिक वर्ष २०७३/७४ मा ६ खर्ब ९७ अर्ब ६९ करोड रुपैयाँ बराबर रहेको राष्ट्रिय ऋण १६ खर्ब पुगेको थियो । अहिले राष्ट्रिय ऋण २४ खर्ब रुपैयाँ नाघिसकेको छ ।

विगतमा पार्टी महासचिव र अर्थमन्त्रीकारुपमा अन्धाधुन्ध राष्ट्रिय ऋण लिनका लागि रोक्न पाैडेलले खासै भूमिका खेलेको देखिँदैन ।

अर्कोतिर २०५१ सालमा तत्कालीन मनमोहन अधिकारीको सरकारले वृद्धभत्ता बाँडेर वाहवाही कमाएको थियो । नेकपा एमालेले यसैलाई बेचेर अहिलेसम्म पनि राजनीतिक लाभ लिइरहेको छ । त्यसपछिका अन्य सरकारले पनि वृद्ध तथा सामाजिक सुरक्षा भत्ता बढाउन प्रतिस्पर्धा गर्दा अहिले राष्ट्रको ढुकुटीबाट वार्षिक ३ खर्ब रुपैयाभन्दा बढी खर्च हुँदै आएको छ ।

राष्ट्रिय आम्दानी बढाउन ध्यान नदिने र आफ्नै खल्तीको जसरी राष्ट्रको ढुकुटीको पैसा बाँड्ने विकृति अब देशले धान्नसक्ने अवस्था छैन । आफ्नै पार्टी एमालेले ल्याएको सामाजिक सुरक्षा भत्ताकाे दायित्व प्रधानमन्त्री ओली र अर्थमन्त्री पौडेललाई फलामको च्यूरा बन्ने खतरा छ ।

के विष्णु पौडेलले चलायमान बनाउलान् त अर्थतन्त्र ?

त्यसैले, नेपालमा यतिखेर प्रधानमन्त्रीको हस्तक्षेपबिना काम गर्न सक्ने, निजी क्षेत्रमैत्री तथा जोखिम लिन सक्ने अर्थमन्त्री चाहिएको छ । पौडेलले आफ्नो पाँचौ कार्यकाल सुरु गर्दै गर्दा यी चुनौती कसरी सामना गर्दछन्, त्यसैबाट उनको यो कार्यकालको समीक्षा हुनेछ ।

किनकि, पौडेललाई सुस्ताएको अर्थतन्त्रलाई चलायमान बनाउने चुनौती एकातिर छ भने नीतिगत भ्रष्टाचारसँग लड्दै जोखिम लिएरै भएपनि अर्थतन्त्रका संरचनागत सुधार गर्ने अर्को चुनौती छ ।

निर्माण व्यवसायीका भुक्तानीका समस्या, लघुवित्त र सहकारीका समस्याजस्ता अर्थतन्त्र र बजारलाई सिधै तल्लो तहमा समेत संकट पारेका क्षेत्रको उद्दार गर्न उनी कति केन्द्रित हुन सक्छन् र प्रधानमन्त्रीको कत्तिको साथ पाउँछन्, त्यसले उनलाई सफल वा असफल बनाउने स्पष्ट छ ।

सपथग्रहण गरेर पौडेल अर्थमन्त्रालय पस्दा चालु आर्थिक वर्षको अन्तिम दिन परेको छ । नयाँ आर्थिक वर्षसँगै बजेट कार्यान्वयन गर्ने अर्को चुनौती पौडेलमा छ । अघिल्ला अर्थमन्त्री वर्षमान पुनले केहि स्वार्थी समूहको लागि परिवर्तन गरेका आर्थिक ऐनलाई पौडेलले कसरी समायोजन गर्दछन्, त्यसले पनि उनको कार्यकालको समीक्षा हुनेछ ।

बजेट आइसेकेको भए पनि आगामी आर्थिक वर्षको मौद्रिक नीति ल्याउने तयारीमा नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंक छ । मौद्रिक नीतिले वित्त नीतिलाई सघाउने हो । किनकि, मौद्रिक नीतिका निश्चित सीमा हुन्छन् । बाह्य क्षेत्र बलियो भयो भनेर माैद्रिक नीतिमार्फत सस्तो ब्याजमा बजारमा वालछ्याल पैसा पठाउँदा देशको अर्थतन्त्रमा कस्तो संकट आउँछ भनेर हेर्न अन्त कतै जानु पर्दैन ओली प्रधानमन्त्री भएको बेला गभर्नर महाप्रसाद अधिकारीले ल्याएको पहिलो मौद्रिक नीति हेरे पुग्छ ।

अहिले विगतमा जस्तो मौद्रिक नीति चलाउन सक्ने अवस्थामा अर्थमन्त्री छैनन् । किनभने, अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मुद्रा कोषसँग ५० करोड अमेरिकी डलर सहायता लिन अर्थमन्त्री र गभर्नरले कडा शर्तमा सहमति जनाएका छन् । यतिसम्म कि कुनै पनि नयाँ नीति, नियम बनाउँदा आइएमएफसँग सल्लाह गर्ने शर्तमा हस्ताक्षर गरेका छन् ।

आइएमएफले नेपालको वित्तीय क्षेत्रको सुधारमा दबाब बढाउँदै लगेको छ । र, वित्तीय क्षेत्रको सुधारले मात्रै नपुगेको भन्दै वित्त क्षेत्रको सुधार गर्नुपर्ने पनि आइएमएफले सुझाव दिँदै आएको छ ।

पछिल्ला केहि वर्षदेखि बजेटभन्दा पनि मौद्रिक नीतिमा निजी क्षेत्रको चासो बढेको छ । वास्तवमा बजेट अर्थात् अर्थ मन्त्रालयको असफलताले निजी क्षेत्रको चासो मौद्रिक नीति अर्थात् राष्ट्र बैंकतर्फ बढेको हो । अर्थमन्त्रालयप्रति विश्वास जगाउन पौडेलसँग के योजना छ, यसले पनि उनको कार्यकालको समीक्षा हुनेछ ।

नेपालको अर्थतन्त्र आर्थिक कृयाकलापमा नभइकन जग्गा कारोबारी र बिचाैलियाको जालोमा फसेका कारण पनि अर्थमन्त्रीलाई अर्थविदभन्दा बिचौलियाले चलाएको धेरै अर्थविद्हरुको धारणा छ । त्यसैले संरचनागत परिवर्तन नभएसम्म अर्थतन्त्रले गति लिने विश्वास गर्न सकिन्न । यसका लागि आर्थिक सुधारको खाँचो छ । तर, राजनीतिक दलका कार्यकर्ता र बिचौलियाले घेरिएको अर्थमन्त्रालयले आर्थिक सुधार गर्न सक्दैन भन्ने आम सर्वसाधारणको बुझाइ छ ।

त्यसैले पनि पौडेललाई काम गर्न सहज छैन ।

र, यसकारण पनि पौडेलले अर्थतन्त्रको ‘स्लो पिच’मा खेल्न गाह्रो छ कि यो गठबन्धन सरकार हो । हुनत आर्थिक सुधारमा सत्ता सहयात्री नेपाली काँग्रेसको कुनै रोकावट नहुनु पर्ने हो । किनभने आर्थिक सुधार नेपाली काँग्रेसको पनि एजेन्डा हो । तर, नेपाली काँग्रेसभित्र पनि बिचाैलियाको ठूलै समूह छ जो अर्थतन्त्रको बारेमा पटक्कै चिन्तित छैन ।

तत्कालका लागि सुस्त भएको अर्थतन्त्रलाई चलायमान बनाउन सेयर बजार, जग्गा कारोबार र हायर पर्चेजले काम गर्ला । तर, दीर्घकालमा उत्पादन र उत्पादकत्व नबढाए सेयर बजार, जग्गा कारोबार र हायर पर्चेजले मात्र अर्थतन्त्रलाई धानेर राख्न सक्दैन । त्यसैले पनि सत्ता सहयात्री नेपाली काँग्रेसको पूर्णसहयोगमा आर्थिक सुधारका योजना बनाउनु पौडेलको पहिलो प्राथमिकता हुनुपर्छ ।

नेकपा एमालेका उपाध्यक्ष तथा एमाले र माओवादी केन्द्रबीच एकता भई नेकपा गठन हुँदा महासचिव भइसकेका पौडेलले ३० को दशकमा तत्कालीन मालेबाट राजनीतिक यात्रा सुरु गरेका थिए । उनी २०४७ मा एमालेको केन्द्रीय सदस्य बनेका थिए ।

त्यसैले राजनीतिमा पौडेल पुराना र अनुभवी खेलाडी हुन् । तर, निरन्तर बदलिँदो आर्थिक संरचना र सुस्त अर्थतन्त्रलाई चलायमान बनाउन यसपटक पौडेलले धेरै मिहेनत गर्नु पर्ने देखिन्छ ।

प्रतिनिधि सभा निर्वाचनमा रुपन्देही- २ बाट निर्वाचित पौडेलले अर्थतन्त्र सुस्त भएको बेलामा अर्थमन्त्रीको रुपमा आफ्नो करियरको पाँचौ इनिङ सुरु गर्दा राजनीतिक सुझबुझका साथै निर्मम भएर अर्थतन्त्र सुधारका काम गर्दा मात्र केपी ओलीको सरकारमात्र नभएर देश नै सफल हुन्छ ।

अन्यथा, नेपालको बजेटरी इतिहासमा पहिलो अर्थमन्त्री सुवर्ण शमशेरदेखि आजसम्म भएका अर्थमन्त्रीहरु कतिजनाको नाम नेपालीलाई याद छ र ?

अर्थनीतिको बेमेल

नेपाली काँग्रेस तथा नेकपा एमाले सम्मिलित सरकार बनेसँगै अब बजारमात्र होइन आर्थिक नीतिमा पनि समन्वयन गर्नु पर्ने हुन्छ। हुनत संविधानमा समाजवादउन्मूख अर्थतन्त्र लेखिएको छ । तर, राष्ट्रियता, प्रजातन्त्र र समाजवादको सैद्दान्तिक जगमा उभिएको नेपाली काँग्रेसको आर्थिक नीति २०४६ सालको परिवर्तनपछि उदार अर्थतन्त्रमा रुपान्तरित भएको छ । २०४८ सालदेखि नै नेपाली काँग्रेसमा समाजवादी धारका नेताहरुको पकड कम हुँदै गएको हो ।

२०४८ सालको नेपाली काँग्रेसका सभापति गिरिजा प्रसाद कोइरालको सरकारका पालमा लिइएको उदार अर्थनीतिका कारण नेपालको अर्थतन्त्रमा सकारात्मक परिवर्तनहरु धेरै भएको भए तापनि सामयानुकुल सुधार हुन नसक्दा तथा उदार अर्थनीति लागू गर्ने क्रममा भएका केही त्रुटीहरु समयमै नसच्याइएका कारण उदार अर्थनीति माथि पार्टीभित्रै बुझाइमा एकरुपता छैन ।

एउटै पाटीभित्रै त एकरुपता छैन भने नेकपा एमाले अर्थात् कम्युनिष्ट स्कुलिङबाट आएको पार्टीले नेपाली काँग्रेसको आर्थिक नीतिमा सहमति जनाउने सैद्दान्तिक आधार पनि छैन । तर, नेकपा एमाले सैद्दान्तिकरुपमा कम्युनिष्ट भए पनि उसका ब्यवहार तथा आर्थिक नीतिमा पनि एकरुपता छैन । र, काँग्रेसले गरेको निजीकरणलाई उद्योगधन्धा बेचेको आरोप लगाउँदै आएको छ । यस्तो अवस्थामा गठबन्धन सरकारले निजीकरणलाई कसरी एउटै दृष्टिले हेर्न सक्छ ?

यसैबिच, विपक्षी र आलोचकहरुले यो गठबन्धन काम गर्न नभइ भ्रष्टाचारका ठूला फाइल रोक्न र मिलिभगत राज्यकोषको दोहन गर्न बनेको आरोप लगाइसकेका छन् ।

प्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्डले विश्वासको मत माग्दै यही असार २८ गते संसदमा भनेका छन्- ‘दुई पार्टी डरले जोडिनुभयो, त्यो सुशासनको डर हो । जुन परिस्थितिमा, जे कारणले कांग्रेस र एमाले मिल्न खोज्नुभएको छ, तपाईहरूको सहकार्यको सहमतिलाई जनताले अनुमोदन गरेको छ कि छैन, आफै मूल्याङ्कन गरिरहनुभएको होला । सामान्यतः लोकतन्त्रमा मुख्य प्रतिस्पर्धी दलहरू मिलेर सरकार बनाउँदैनन् । संसारभरिका इतिहासका अनुभवहरूले देखाएका छन्, त्यस किसिमका गठबन्धनले निरंकुशता र स्वेच्छाचारिता बढाएका छन्, लोकतन्त्रलाई कमजोर बनाएका छन् । त्यसैले सामान्यतः यस्तो अभ्यास हुँदै हुँदैन ।’

नेकपा एमालेको सैद्दान्तिक रुझान कम्युनिष्ट भए पनि पछिल्लो समय केपी ओली प्रधानमन्त्री भएपछिका दिनमा निजी क्षेत्रसँगको बढ्दो हिमचिमले निजी क्षेत्रमैत्री बन्ने प्रयास गरेको देखिन्छ । त्यसैले आजको दिनमा सरकारले चुरोट, जुत्ता बनाउने होइन, नीति बनाउने हो र निजी क्षेत्रलाई काम गर्न दिने हो भन्ने मान्यता नेकपा एमालेमा पनि विकसित भएको देखिन्छ ।

तर, सैद्दान्तिक आधार नभएका कारण नेकपा एमालेले निजी क्षेत्रमैत्री बन्दै गर्दा केहि त्रुटिहरु गरेको छ । २०७४ सालपछि केपी ओली प्रधानमन्त्री हुँदा निजी क्षेत्रको नाममा केहि ब्यापारिक घरानाको लागि फाइदा हुने नीति ल्याएका उदाहरणहरु प्रसस्त छन्। त्यसैमध्ये गिरीबन्धु टी स्टेटकाे विवाद भर्खरैमात्र छताछुल्ल भएकाे छ ।

त्यसैले पौडेललाई पाँचौ पटक अर्थमन्त्री बन्दा प्रधानमन्त्री ओलीको कत्तिको साथ रहन्छ भन्ने प्रश्न पनि महत्वपूर्ण छ । वा, अर्थमन्त्रीका रुपमा अहिलेको अर्थतन्त्रको समस्यालाई निकै गहिरोसँग बुझ्नेगरी अध्ययन गरेर जिम्मेवारी सम्हालेका छन् कि पहिलेको जस्तै ‘चलि त हाल्छ नि’ भन्ने सोचले आएका छन्, त्यो हेर्न कम्तिमा हनिमुन अवधि कुर्नैपर्ने हाेला ।

एकातिर गठबन्धन सरकारका सैद्दान्तिक, ब्यवस्थापकीय तथा ब्यावहारिक बाध्यता अर्कोतिर आफ्नै प्रधानमन्त्रीको हठीपनाका कारण अर्थमन्त्री पौडेलले अर्थतन्त्रको स्लो पिचमा कति रन बनाउलान् त ?

जबसम्म पिचमा दुबै खेलाडी एउटै गतिमा दौडेर रन लिने अनि एउटै लयमा ब्याटिंग गर्ने तादात्म्यता कायम गर्न सक्दैनन्, एउटै खेलाडीले मात्रै खेल जिताएको कमै रेकर्ड छ ।

तर, काँग्रेस-एमालेको गठबन्धनलाई विगतमाजस्तो अहिले गल्ती गर्ने छुट त छैन नै, त्यो भन्दा पनि ठूलो चुनाैति राम्रो काम गरेर युवाहरुको मन जित्नु र अर्थतन्त्रलाई ट्र्याकमा ल्याउनुपर्ने छ ।

होइन भने २०८४ को चुनाव सुखद् नहुने निश्चित छ !

पाैडेलकाे सत्ता यात्रा

२०८१ मा असार ३०, प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओली सरकारका अर्थमन्त्री

२०७९ मा प्रधानमन्त्री पुष्पकमल दाहाल सरकारका अर्थमन्त्री

२०७८ मा प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओली सरकारका अर्थमन्त्री

२०७७ मा प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओली सरकारका अर्थमन्त्री

२०७२ मा प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओली सरकारका अर्थमन्त्री

२०६७ मा प्रधानमन्त्री झलनाथ खनाल सरकारका रक्षामन्त्री

२०६५ मा प्रधानमन्त्री पुष्पकमल दाहाल सरकारका जलस्रोत मन्त्री

२०५३ मा प्रधानमन्त्री लोकेन्द्रबहादुर चन्द सरकारका युवा, खेलकुद तथा संस्कृति मन्त्री

(Published: https://clickmandu.com/2024/07/327198.html)

Government, development partners launch Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Assessments

Nepal has a robust legislative and institutional framework for public financial management, but further reforms are needed to strengthen fiscal and budget outcomes to support green, resilient, and inclusive development, says the third Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Performance Assessment Reports.

The PEFA Performance Assessment Reports were jointly launched today by the government  with support from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund. The assessment is based on the internationally recognised PEFA Framework to assess the progress of Public Financial Management (PFM) across the government. Based on the assessments, the government will prepare a medium-term PFM Reform Strategy and Action Plan.

“Public financial management has the power to change people's lives and livelihoods,” finance minister Barsha Man Pun said, adding that Nepal is committed to establishing a strong and robust public finance system and transforming the public financial management landscape through rigorous reforms and adoption of digital governance.

The government partnered with the Nepal Public Financial Management Multi-Donor Trust Fund supported by Australia; European Union; the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office; Norway; Switzerland; and U.S. Agency for International Development and administered by the World Bank to conduct the assessments. The reports consist of the PFM Performance Assessment, Climate Responsive PFM Performance Assessment, and Gender Responsive PFM Performance Assessment. Nepal is the second country after Bhutan in South Asia to undertake PEFA Climate and PEFA Gender Assessments. 

According to the PFM performance assessment, the government has deployed a range of information systems to enhance the efficiency of PFM. The adherence to international standards in the budget and accounts classification ensures comparability, accuracy, comprehensiveness, and transparency in financial information. Budgets are designed with a medium-term outlook, and the predictability of resource availability for spending units is at a high level. The fiscal transfers allocated to subnational governments exhibit transparency and adherence to established rules while the scope and coverage of both the internal and external audits are extensive. 

“Nepal’s successful completion of the PEFA assessment demonstrates its commitment to sound financial management practices,”  World Bank country director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka Faris Hadad-Zervos said, adding that development partners, including the World Bank, are committed to supporting the next generation of public financial management reforms for Nepal’s green, resilient, and inclusive development. 

The assessment highlights the following areas for potential PFM reforms to achieve better fiscal and budgetary outcomes in the future:

• Restoring fiscal credibility through a sustainable medium-term expenditure framework, recalibration of fiscal rules, expenditure reprioritization, and risk management. 

• Improving public investment efficiency by reducing inefficiencies and building climate-resilient infrastructure. 

• Applying a climate and gender lens to fiscal decision-making to mainstream climate and gender considerations. 

• Enhancing fiscal transparency and accountability by enforcing fiscal rules and promoting accountability.

“As the PEFA assessment demonstrates, some crucial elements center on fiscal discipline and its impact on service delivery. Better fiscal discipline is needed for more effective, inclusive, and accountable delivery of services,” said acting mission director of USAID Nepal Karen Welch. “We, the development partners, bring assistance that supports the government’s efforts across many sectors, like health and education, environmental preservation, and attention to marginalised groups. Sound PFM allows us to work together to better benefit the people of Nepal.”

The programme was chaired by the finance secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini. chief secretary. Dr Baikuntha Aryal, revenue secretary Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire, and financial comptroller general Hari Prasad Mainali expressed their views and reiterated their commitment for PFM reforms as indicated by this assessment. The event also included a panel discussion on the topic: “How can Nepal improve capital expenditure to achieve development outcomes?”.

The event was attended by high-level government officials, accountability institutions, and development partners involved in PFM, including climate and gender agencies. 

Government and World Bank sign $120 million concessional loan financing agreement and $19.7 million grant agreement to strengthen school sector

The government and the World Bank today signed a financing agreement for $120 million concessional loan from the International Development Association (IDA) and a grant agreement for $19.7 million from the Global Partnership for Education for the School Sector Transformation Programme (SSTP) Operation, which support the implementation of the government’s flagship School Education Sector Plan.

The agreement was signed by finance secretary Arjun Prasad Pokharel and the World Bank country director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka Faris Hadad-Zervos at the Finance Ministry.

The operation focuses on improving foundational skills by implementing the national integrated curriculum in early grades, a press note issued by the World Bank reads. "The operation supports the government’s programme through the development and implementation of the Recovery and Accelerated Learning Plan to address learning losses as a result of school closures due to Covid-19 and other disasters, strengthening teaching and learning in the classrooms, construction of green and resilient classrooms, ensuring minimum enabling conditions such as qualified teacher, child-friendly taps and seating, and toilets in the early childhood education development centers, and strengthening digital teaching and learning materials, among others," it reads, adding that the operation also envisions improving the equity of the school sector by supporting girls, disabled students, and those of lower socio-economic status, through targeted scholarships programmes.

“I am hopeful that the reform agenda envisioned in the School Sector Transformation Programme will be instrumental in increasing equitable access and improving the quality of education, which are critical for human capital development,” said finance secretary Pokharel after signing the agreement.

“The School Sector Transformation Programme operation supports the government of Nepal’s Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development (GRID) agenda by investing in quality and equitable access to education, which is key to developing human capital and fostering inclusive and resilient growth,” said World Bank country director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka Faris Hadad-Zervos, after signing the pact.

Government halves provincial and local financial equalisation grant

The federal government has reduced third installment of the financial equalisation grants – to be provided to the provincial and local governments – by half, due to mounting pressure on coffer. 

“The federal government will provide them with only Rs 23 billion – after reducing Rs 23 billion – out of the total Rs 46 billion allocated earlier,” according to Finance Ministry. “The Council of Ministers meeting held on April 25 – on Tuesday – decided to reduce the grant by half and send remaining amount.”

Finance Ministry had written to the Office of the Financial Comptroller General – on April 27 – asking it to transfer only 50 per cent of the third installment of the financial equalisation grant to the local governments and provinces. 

According to Sub-section (3) of Section 4 of the Financial Equalisation Grant Allocation Act-2079 BS, the final installment to be transferred in the financial year 2022-23 is Rs 9.94 billion to the provinces and Rs 13.20 billion to the local governments.

Nepal to receive $200 million concessional loan from ADB

Nepal and Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a concessional loan agreement amounting to $200 million (equivalent to Rs 26.51 billion) for supporting the first five years of the School Education Sector Plan (SESP-2022–2030) and a grant agreement of $12 million to implement the Strengthening Systems to Protect and Uplift Women Project.

According to a press note issued by the Finance Ministry, the project will benefit survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) across Madhesh, Lumbini, and Sudurpaschchim provinces through the establishment of long-term rehabilitation centers, development of survivor-friendly facilities for the Women, Children and Senior Citizen Service Centers within selected district and area police offices and strengthening of survivor-friendly services in these provinces. "The project will also build a new national long-term rehabilitation center in Bhaktapur," it adds.

Joint secretary at the ministry Ishwori Prasad Aryal, and ADB Officer-in-Charge for Nepal Saugata Dasgupta signed the agreements on behalf of their respective institutions. The proposed assistance is expected to support the implementation of the government’s School Education Sector Plan in a sector-wide approach supported by eight development partners, including ADB under the Joint Financing Arrangement.

“The programme will enhance learning provisions for basic and secondary schools, strengthen teaching and learning skills in schools, accelerate the recovery from learning losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and improve the capacity of local governments in education planning, monitoring and reporting,” the press note reads.

"Nepal has done significantly in terms of improving access to education in the past decades however, much more needs to be done to further improve equity of access and the quality of education," said Aryal after signing the agreement. The programme will be crucial to operationalising Nepal’s holistic approach in improving the overall learning outcomes."

"The agreement is a key part of ADB’s overall efforts to help Nepal accelerate reforms and transform the country’s education system to develop human capital, reduce social inequity, and attain sustainable growth," Dasgupta is quoted as saying, "The plan is designed towards eliminating inequities in access and participation in school education, and improving quality and resilience of school education."

ग्रामीण क्षेत्रमा लघुबिमा आवश्यक

बिमा कम्पनीको मर्जरमा जोड दिएको बिमा समितिले लघुबिमा कम्पनीका लागि आवेदन खोलेको भन्दै विवाद बढेका बेला बिमा समितिले गत आर्थिक वर्षमा लक्ष्यअनुरुप बिमाको पहुँच विस्तार हुन नसकेका कारण लघुबिमा कम्पनीको आवश्यकता रहेको प्रष्टीकरण दिएको छ । सरकारले गत आर्थिक वर्षको बजेटमा कुल बिमाको दायरामा रहेको जनसंख्यामा लघुबिमाको हिस्सा १० प्रतिशत पु¥याउनुपर्ने लक्ष्य राखेको भए पनि लक्ष्य पूरा हुन नसकेको सोमबार समितिले पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा बताएको छ ।

गत आर्थिक वर्षमा भएका काम र चालू आवमा हुने नीति तथा कार्यक्रमहरु सार्वजनिक गर्दै समितिले ग्रामीण एवं दुर्गम भेगमा बसोबास गर्ने नागरिकले आफ्नो स–सानो रकमबाट आफू र आफ्नो परिवार, घर, व्यवसाय, खेतीपाती, पशुपन्छी, जडिबुटी लगायतको बिमा गरी जोखिम बिमा कम्पनीहरूलाई हस्तान्तरणको व्यवस्था गर्नु जरूरी रहेको बताएको छ । यसका लागि बिमा कम्पनीहरूलाई जिल्लासमेत तोकेर निश्चित लघुबिमा गर्न समितिले पटक पटक निर्देशन दिँदै आएको भए पनि लघुबिमा अपेक्षित रुपमा बढ्न नसकेको समितिका अध्यक्ष सूर्यप्रसाद सिलवालले बताए । 

कुल बिमाको दायरामा रहेको जनसंख्यामा उल्लेख्य मात्रामा वृद्धि भए पनि लघुबिमाको हिस्सा न्यून भएका कारण सरकारले दुर्गम, पिछडिएका र न्यून आय भएका वर्गमा बिमाको पहुँच पु¥याउने उद्देश्यले चालू आर्थिक वर्षको बजेट वक्तव्यमा लघुबिमा कम्पनी स्थापना गर्ने उल्लेख गरेको छ । सोही विषयलाई कार्यान्वयन गर्न र न्यून आय भएका तथा पिछडिएका सीमान्तकृत वर्गहरुको जीवन तथा सम्पत्तिको जोखिम विरुद्ध आर्थिक सरक्षा प्रदान गर्ने उद्देश्यले समितिले काठमाडौं उपत्यका बाहिर लघुबिमा कम्पनीको कार्यालय रहने गरी सातवटा प्रदेशमा एक एकवटा लघुबिमा कम्पनी स्थापना गर्न सूचना प्रकाशन गरिसकेको छ ।

नेपालजस्तो बाढी, पहिरो, भूकम्प, अतिवृष्टि जस्ता प्राकृतिक प्रकोपको सम्भावना बढी रहेको देशमा न्यून आय भएका र लक्षित वर्गको आर्थिक जोखिम हस्तान्तरणका लागि लघुबिमालाई सघन रूपमा देशव्यापी रूपमा अगाडि बढाउन लागिएको समितिको दाबी छ । यसबाट नागरिकले विपद्को समयमा हुने हानी नोक्सानीको क्षतिपूर्तिका लागि सरकारको अनुदान तथा राहतको भर पर्नुपर्ने अवस्थाबाट मुक्त भई बिमा कम्पनीहरूबाट नै क्षतिपूर्ति पाउने सुनिश्चित हुन्छ भन्ने समितिको विश्वास रहेको पनि जनाएको छ ।

चालू आर्थिक वर्षमा बिमा नियमावली, नीति तथा रणनीतिक योजना, बिमा सम्बन्धी कार्यविधि तथा ढाँचा र बिमा मार्गदर्शन एवं निर्देशिक तयार गर्ने तथा परिमार्जन गर्ने कार्यक्रम रहेको, एनएफआरएस १७ लागू गर्ने तथा जोखिममा आधारित पुँजी र जोखिममा आधारित निर्देशिका तयार पार्ने कार्यक्रम रहेको पनि समितिले जानकारी दियो । चालू आर्थिक वर्षमा बिमासम्बन्धी जनचेतना अभिवृद्धि गर्ने र बिमाको पहुँच विस्तारका लागि प्रदेश सरकार, स्थानीय तह, बिमा कम्पनी र आर्थिक पत्रकारहरूसँग अन्तरक्रिया गर्ने लगायतका कार्यक्रमहरुलाई निरन्तरता दिने समितिले जनाएको छ ।

राष्ट्रिय सूचना आयोग, वित्तीय क्षेत्रका नियामक निकायहरू, बीमकका अध्यक्ष, सञ्चालक र प्रमुख कार्यकारी अधिकृतहरू, कानुन व्यवसायी, बीमित, उद्योग वाणिज्य संघ, नेपाल चेम्बर अफ कमर्स लगायत सरोकारवालाहरूसँग समेत छलफल तथा अन्तरक्रिया गर्ने तथा चालू आर्थिक वर्षमा बिमासम्बन्धी जनचेतना अभिवृद्धिका लागि देशभर नै बिमा सम्बन्धी सचेतनामूलक कार्यक्रमहरू सञ्चालन गर्ने समितिको योजना रहेको पनि उनले बताए । बिमासम्बन्धी अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय गोष्ठीको आयोजना तथा माध्यमिक विद्यालय र सीटीईभीटीका पाठ्यक्रममा बिमा विषय थप गर्न आवश्यक कार्य गर्ने, बिमा सूचना केन्द्र स्थापना गर्ने, बीमित हित संरक्षण कोष स्थापना गर्ने, बिमा कलेज स्थापना गर्ने र बिमा सम्बन्धी अध्ययन अनुसन्धानलाई प्राथमिकताका साथ अगाडि बढाउने लगायतका कार्य चालू आर्थिक वर्षमा गरिने योजना पनि उनले सुनाए ।

बिमा समितिले बिमा व्यवसायको समग्र विकास एवं विस्तारमा जोड दिँदै आए पनि देशका ग्रामीण तथा दुर्गम भेगका जनतामा बिमाको पहुँच पुग्न सकेको छैन भन्दै समितिबाट विभिन्न स्थानीय तहहरूमा आयोजना गरेका कार्यक्रममा सहभागी स्थानीय बासिन्दाहरूबाट आफू र आफ्नो परिवारको बिमा गर्न नपाएको, घर, खेतीपाती, जडिबुटी, पशुपन्छी लगायतको बिमा गर्न नपाएको, बिमा कम्पनीहरू सहर केन्द्रित भएको, सदरमुकाममा रहेका बिमा कम्पनीका कार्यालयहरूले कृषि तथा पशुपन्छी बिमा गर्न नमानेको, बिमा दाबी भुक्तानी समयमा नपाएको जस्ता गुनासाहरु आउने गरेका कारण यसमा समितिले गम्भिरतापूर्वक समस्या समाधानको लागि पहल गर्ने पनि जनाएको छ ।

कोरोना बिमाको रकम अर्को साता 

बिमा समितिले कोरोना बिमाको रकम अर्को साता पाइने बताएको छ । सोमबार पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा समितिले कोरोना बिमाको दाबी भुक्तानी नपाएका बीमितले अर्को साता पैसा पाउने जनाएको हो । 

“कोरोना बिमाको पैसा अर्को हाप्ताभित्र आउन सक्ने सम्भावना बढी छ । हामीले अर्थ मन्त्रालयलाई कोरोना बिमाको पैसा तत्काल पठाउन आग्रह गरेका छौं । हालका लागि एक अर्ब पैसा पठाउन आग्रह गरेका छौं । यस विषयमा अर्थसचिवसँग छलफल भइसकेको छ,” बिमा समितिका अध्यक्ष सूर्यप्रसाद सिलवालले भने । सरकारले कोरोना बिमाबापत ११ अर्बभन्दा बढी रकम भुक्तानी गर्न बाँकी छ ।

फेरि राजनीतिको चेपुवामा अर्थतन्त्र

२०६७ चैत १५ गते तत्कालीन अर्थ सचिव रामेश्वर खनाल मुख्य सचिव माधव घिमिरेलाई भेटेर आफ्नो राजीनामा बुझाउन गए । खनालको कार्यावधि सकिएको थिएन, न त उनीमाथि कुनै आरोप लागेको थियो । त्यसैले मुख्य सचिवले अचम्म मान्दै राजीनामा फिर्ता लिन आग्रह गरे । खनालले आफूले दर्ता शाखामा राजीनामा दर्ता गराइसकेको अनि मुख्य सचिवलाई बोधार्थमात्र दिन आएको बताए, राजीनामा फिर्ता लिन अस्वीकार गरे । केही नलागेपछि मुख्य सचिवले भने, “तपार्इंलाई राष्ट्रिय योजना आयोगमा उपाध्यक्ष बनाउने कुरा थियो तर तपाईं त राजीनामा दिँदै हुनुहुन्छ ।”

तर, खनाल लोभिएनन् । आफ्नो निर्णयमा अडिग नै रहे । “मलाईचाहिँ योजना आयोगमा सदस्य बनाउँला भनिएको थियो,” खनालले त्यो दिनको स्मरण गर्दै कारोबारलाई भने, “मुख्य सचिवकोमा चाहिँ उपाध्यक्ष नै भनिएको रहेछ ।”

खनाल किन लोभिएनन् र राजीनामा दिए ? कारण अघिल्लो साँझ नै उनी अर्थ मन्त्रालयमा आगामी आर्थिक वर्षको बजेटको पाँचांै ड्राफ्ट च्यातेर निस्किएका थिए । किनकी त्यो बजेटको ड्राफ्ट मन्त्रालयभित्र बनेको थिएन । “मैले पाँचांै पटकसम्म सहें । तर पाँचांै ड्राफ्ट च्यातेर घर पुगेपछि छैटौं ड्राफ्ट पनि बनेको थाहा पाएँ । त्यसपछि मैले राजीनामा दिने निर्णय गरें । अर्थ मन्त्रालय बाहिर बन्ने बजेटप्रति मेरो घोर विरोध थियो,” उनले ती दिन सम्झिए, “जब मन्त्रीले मलाई विश्वास नगरेर अर्थ मन्त्रालयबाहिरै बजेटका ड्राफ्ट बनाउँदै देखाउन थाले, मैले विरोध गरें । अति भएपछि राजीनामा गरें ।”

खनालमात्र होइनन्, डा देबेन्द्रराज पाण्डे पनि त्यसअघि उसैगरि राजीनामा गरेर निस्किएका हुन् ।

२०६७ बाट २०७९ सम्म आइपुग्दा एक दशकभन्दा बढी भइसक्यो । यसबीच सिंहदरबार नजिकैको बागमतीमा धेरै पानी बगिसकेको छ । तर, सिंहदरबारमा नीतिगत भ्रष्टाचार भने झन् जब्बर रूपमा जरा गाड्दै छ । मुलुक संघीयतामा गएपछि सिंहदरबारमा नीतिगत भ्रष्टाचारले झन् बढी जरा गाड्नु तथा कर्मचारीतन्त्रले आँखा चिम्लनुले मुलुकको भविष्य फेरि पनि गलत राजनीतिको चेपुवामा परेको छ । नीतिगत भ्रष्टाचारमा किन कर्मचारीतन्त्रले आँखा चिम्लन्छ ? यसको सहज उत्तर दिन्छन् खनाल, “मलाई योजना आयोगको लोभ देखाएझैं राजनीतिक नियुक्ति, राजदूत आदिका लोभ होलान् ।” के कर्मचारीतन्त्रको सानो लोभले मुलुक आर्थिक रूपमा भड्खालोमा जाकिनुपर्ने हो ? उत्तर उनीसँग पनि छैन । किनकि यो व्यक्तिगत सोच हो । “जबसम्म समाजमा ‘मैमात्रै कमाउँ मैमात्रै खाउँ’ भन्ने व्यक्तिवादी चिन्तन हाबी हुन्छ, मुलुक बन्दैन,” अर्थविद् डा. चन्द्रमणि अधिकारी भन्छन् ।

त्यतिमात्रै होइन, हिजो राजनीतिक दलले राजनीतिक क्रान्ति सकिएका कारण अब मुलुकमा आर्थिक क्रान्तिको समय आएको बताउँदा आशावान् बनेका युवापुस्ता तिनै हजुरबुबा उमेरका नेताले आफ्नो भविष्य अनिश्चित बनाइदिएकोमा असन्तुष्ट छन् । त्यसैको उत्तर काठमाडौं महानगरपालिकाको मेयरमा बालेन्द्र शाहको जित हो ।

संघीय गणतन्त्रमा सुशासन नभए पनि हुने, आर्थिक पारदर्शिता नचाहिने तथा जवाफदेही बन्नु नपर्ने होइन, हिजोका केन्द्रिकृत शासन गर्ने वंशवादका प्रणेताभन्दा नागरिकमा बढी अधिकार, सुशासन, आर्थिक पारदर्शिता तथा नेतृत्वको जवाफदेहिता संघीय गणतन्त्रको प्राण हो । प्राण हरण गरेर शासन चलाउन यो २०१७ साल पनि होइन ।

त्यसैले अन्ततः आरोप तथा विवादबीच अर्थमन्त्री जनार्दन शर्माले राजीनामा दिएका छन्, अर्थसचिव मधुकुमार मरासिनी बिदा बसेका छन् । प्रश्न अझै छन्, किन यति धेरै दिन लाग्यो, यी दुईलाई निर्णय गर्न ?

यतिखेर अर्थतन्त्र सहज छैन, श्रीलंका भएको छैन र, हुँदैन पनि । नेपालको अवस्था श्रीलंकाभन्दा झन् खराब हुन्छ, यदि राजनीतिक नेतृत्वले आफ्नो गल्ती स्वीकारेर बाटो परिवर्तन नगरेमा । श्रीलंका दक्षिण एसियमा धेरै सूचकमा अब्बल थियो र अझै छ । दक्षिण एसियामा नेपाल अधिकांश सूचकमा पुछारमा आउँछ । त्यसैले नेपालको अर्थतन्त्र जुन दिशा तथा दशामा छ, श्रीलंकाभन्दा खराब हुने सम्भावना प्रचुर छ । श्रीलंकामा पनि राजनीतिक नेतृत्वको अस्थिर नीतिगत सोच तथा मुलुक कब्जा गर्ने दूराकांक्षाले मुलुक टाट पल्टेको हो । त्यसैले नेपालमा पनि राजनीतिक नेतृत्वले मात्रै मुलुकलाई जोगाउन सक्छ । दक्षिण एसियामा श्रीलंकामात्रै होइन, पाकिस्तान र बंगलादेशको अवस्था पनि नाजुक छ । त्यसैले नेपाल ढुक्क हुने अवस्था छैन ।

अर्थमन्त्री जनार्दन शर्मामाथिको आरोपमा प्रधानमन्त्री तथा उनकै पार्टीका अध्यक्ष यतिका दिनसम्म चुप बस्नु श्रीलंकाको भनक नै हो । राजीनामा समाधान होइन, न त संसदीय छानबिन समिति नै । किनकि माओवादी केन्द्रलाई भित्रैबाट बुझेकाहरुका अनुसार जनार्दन शर्मा माओवादी केन्द्रमा अध्यक्षसँग जति पैसा भए पार्टी कब्जा गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने सोच बोकेका तीन–चार नेतामध्ये एक हुन् । सायद उनी त्यही मार्गमा जाँदै पनि थिए । तर, कमरेड शर्मा पार्टी कब्जा होइन, मुलुक कब्जा गर्ने अवसरबाट चुकेका छन् । जसरी उनीभन्दा अलिक अगाडिका विद्धान् अर्थमन्त्री डा. युवराज खतिवडा चुके । अर्थमन्त्रीका निजी कुण्ठा तथा राजनीतिक अभिष्टको शिकार मुलुकको अर्थतन्त्र हुनु दुर्भाग्य हो ।

अर्थमन्त्री पदबाट राजीनामा दिनुअघि उनले प्रतिनिधिसभाको रोष्ट्रममा उभिएर आफू के कारणले अनैतिक भएको भन्दै प्रश्न उठाउनेहरुप्रति नै प्रतिप्रश्न गरे । तर, प्रश्न उनले अरुलाई होइन आफ्नै अन्तरआत्मालाई गर्नुपर्छ, किन निजी क्षेत्रलाई व्यवसाय गर्ने प्रतिस्पर्धी वातावरण बनाउन सकेनन् ? (कारोबार)

Finance Minister claims to spend at least 10 per cent of capital budget every month

 The Finance Minister today claimed to spend at least 10 per cent of the capital budget every month.

Speaking at a press meet organised by the Finance Ministry here today, finance minister Janardan Sharma claimed that the government will spend at least 10 per cent of the capital budget every month. "As there is a possibility of spending capital budget, we have increased the budget for the capital expenditure for the current fiscal year," he added.

The government has revised the capital budget upward -- through the substitution bill -- by Rs 3.84 billion to Rs 378.10 billion.

However, the eroding capacity of the government machinery is not expected to spend the capital budget as assumed by the finance minister. In the last fiscal year 2020-21, the government had been able to spend only 64.69 per cent of total allocated capital budget.

The governments have never been able to spend more than Rs 110 billion even during the last four years period of strong and stable government led by KP Sharma Oli. Of the current fiscal year too, almost two months have already passed without implementing the budget. The Oli-led government had brought an ordinance budget on June 30 (Jestha 15, according to the Constitution). But the incumbent government directed the  ministries not to implement the budget as it will revise the budget. The finance minister Janardan Sharma had brought a substitution bill to replace the ordinance budget that is seen as more ambitious. 

Sharma claimed that the government will expedite the development projects along with necessary manpower. "Similarly, the government will be carrying out monitoring the development projects through digital platforms for the effective utilisation of the capital budget," he assured.

'The Constitution of Nepal prevails over the MCC Nepal Compact, has no military alliance'

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) headquarters has clarified that Nepal's constitution is always above the MCC. "The Constitution of Nepal prevails over the MCC Nepal Compact," reads the clarification sent to the government today through US Embassy in Kathmandu.

Likewise, the MCC also clarified that the MCC Nepal Compact is not an agreement under the Indo-Pacific Strategy. "MCC compacts are agreements between MCC and the partner government," it reads, adding that the strong relationship between the US and Nepal long pre-dates the Indo-Pacific Strategy. "The MCC Nepal Compact is not an agreement under the Indo-Pacific Strategy, nor is it a part of any military strategy of the United States. There is no connection between the MCC Nepal Compact and any military alliance or defense strategy."

In response to a letter from the Finance Ministry, the MCC also vowed to remain committed to having open and transparent dialogue with the people of Nepal and sees this exchange as a positive step toward ratification of the MCC Nepal Compact.

"The grant programme will benefit nearly 23 million people by providing more reliable electricity and lowering the cost of transportation and energy," the reply signed by MCC vice president Fatema Sumar reads. "Recognising the immense value of the MCC Nepal Compact grant signed by the government of Nepal and MCC in 2017, MCC’s promise to help the people of Nepal has never wavered."

The response addressed to Finance Minister Janardhan Sharma also reads that it is dedicated to reducing poverty and fostering economic growth for all Nepalis. On Friday, Finance Ministry had sent a letter to MCC headquarters seeking clarification about some points in the agreement.

The MCC, according to the clarification, was established in 2004 with a singular focus on poverty reduction through economic growth in countries that are committed to democratic values such as rule of law, investing in their people, and economic freedom.

According to the response, all projects funded by the MCC Nepal Compact were selected by Nepal, in consultation with Nepal’s private sector and civil society, as projects that are important for Nepal’s own economic growth. The response today comes on the eve of the scheduled 4-day visit by vice president of the Department of Compact Operations Fatema Z Sumar. She is scheduled to visit Nepal tomorrow. Nepal is receiving $500 million in grants -- for cross border transmission line and road upgradation -- but it has become controversial with Nepali political parties sharply divided over its proposed parliamentary ratification.

Some political parties want the MCC to be implemented without ratifying it. But the response reads that MCC compacts with all MCC partner countries are international agreements governed by the principles of international law, thus seeking ratification from parliament. "Based on MCC’s experience in other countries, a compact’s status as an international agreement is critical to ensuring the implementation can proceed without delay, which is particularly important given the limited five-year implementation period of a compact,” the response reads, adding, "in practical terms, the status of an international agreement means that the implementation of compact projects will proceed in accordance with laws of Nepal except in rare instances where local law conflicts with a specific provision of the compact."

In such a case, compact projects will be implemented according to the mutually agreed upon terms of the compact and the Constitution of Nepal, it adds.

Though, in its 13-page response, the MCC has furnished clarifications to all the 11 concerns raised by the Finance Ministry, including whether the MCC agreement is above Nepal’s constitution and whether it undermines Nepal’s sovereignty, the political parties may not yet convinced.

Nepal signed the MCC in 2017. But four years down the line, the MCC is yet to be ratified by the Parliament, a prerequisite for its implementation. The incumbent Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba led government had signed the MCC agreement and he is now planning to ratify it in the Parliament. But the coalition partners -- the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) and the CPN (Unified Socialist) -- are opposed to it. They are demanding some amendment before ratifying from the parliament.

No new project for next budget : Finance Ministry

 The budget for the next fiscal year 2021-22 is not going have any new project as the Finance Ministry is not going to entertain any projects that are not ready to start, and also to prioritise ongoing projects and programmes.

During a meeting with the secretaries of various ministries today, the Finance Ministry asked them not to include any new project and programmes for the next fiscal year due to lack of resources as the economy is tattered by the coronavirus pandemic, and also to prioritise the ongoing projects and programmes.

Due to resource constraint, the Finance Ministry also sought proposals for budget and programmes for the next fiscal year within the prescribed ceiling to the individual ministries. The National Planning Commission (NPC) has fixed Rs 1550 billion ceiling for the budget for the next fiscal year 2021-22. The secretaries, however, also complained of the tight ceiling, and asked to review the it.

Asking the secretaries of various ministries to present their proposal for the budget for next fiscal year 2021-22 by March 28, chief at the Budget and Programme Division under Finance Ministry Dhaniram Sharma said that the government is under pressure to manage resources. "Thus, present budget proposal not exceeding the ceiling given to the ministries by March 28."

The secretaries are also not very satisfied with procedure of the projects and programmes being incorporated in the fiscal policy. They complained of the adhoc system of including the projects and programmes in the budget, using the veto of ministers, but excluding the programmes and projects that have been prepared according to the format prescribed by the Finance Ministry and Planning Commission.

Due to resource crunch, the Finance Ministry has also asked the ministries to adopt austerity measures and control unnecessary expenditure.

The budget for the next fiscal year will be the last full-fledged budget for the incumbent government as it has already presented three budgets, and the another one will be election year budget. But it is still uncertain, whether the incumbent government will be able to bring the budget for the next fiscal year or new government will due to fast changing political scenario in the country in recent months.

Government, again directs Insurance Board to settle Covid-19 insurance claims within 3 days

 Even after its first diktat the people are not getting their Covid-19 insurance claims, the Finance Ministry today again instructed the Insurance Regulator to make arrangements to provide Covid-19 insurance compensation payment within three days.

This time, writing a letter today to Insurance Board (IB) , the ministry directed to settle payment of claims that meet all processes and documentation. The ministry also asked the insurance market regulator to send daily progress reports to the Finance Ministry. It is yet another example of how weak regulator can invite the government interference. Instead, the Insurance Board should have warned and taken action to the insurance companies, when they fail to settle the claims.

The ministry was forced to issue written directive after widespread complaints that insurance companies have been delaying or causing hassles to settle the claims against the Covid-19 insurance policies.

The ministry – in the letter – has written that many of its earlier instructions have not been effectively enforced. Earlier also, the finance minister calling the Insurance Board chair to the ministry had instructed to settle the Covid-19 insurance claims within seven days. But very few payments have been made so far, the ministry writes in the letter. The ministry has also reminded the regulator that the hotline phone service for coronavirus-related claims has not been set up in the Insurance Board in line with the directives of last month. “The Insurance Board has also not sent the daily reports to the ministry regularly as directed earlier,” the letter reads, adding that the time to settle has been reduced as the board has not been ‘in action’.

Only 15 per cent or some 4,929 Covid-19 insurance compensation claims have been settled, out of a total 32,784 claims till Tuesday, according to the board.

Finance Minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada puts in paper

 Though, it was necessary as his tenure as the finance minister was coming to an end tomorrow, finance minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada has resigned today.

Khatiwada – who was also looking after the Communication and Information Technology portfolio – today submitted his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Earlier, Khatiwada on expiration of his tenure as a member of the National Assembly on March 3 had resigned from his post. But, as reappointed as the minister – within 24 hours – for an additional term of six months according to the constitutional provision. Had the government – led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli – nominated him in the Upper House within 6 months, he could have continued as the minister. However, the meeting of the ruling party nominated party vice-chair Bam Dev Gautam to the National Assembly, which sent Khatiwada’s chances of reappointment crashing.

After his resignation, Khatiwada took part in a farewell programme organised at the Finance Ministry by the ministry. Khatiwada – addressing the farewell programme – said that he was able to lay a concrete foundation of the economy even during the most difficult days. Saying that the days ahead are challenging due to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic, Khatiwada boosted that he was able to bring significant improvements in revenue during his two-and-a-half year long stint as the finance minister. Khatiwada, who became one of the luckiest finance ministers to bring three consecutive budgets, failed measurably in bringing any reforms in public expenditure, budgetary allocations, economy or federal fiscal policies despite being the most favourite minister – of the almost two-third majority stable government – of Prime Minister Oli. Premier Oli wanted to retain him as finance minister by nominating again as a member of National Assembly but could not as he was forced to give in to the demand of the rival faction within the party to nominate NCP vice chair Bam Dev Gautam. 

A cabinet meeting held at the residence of Prime Minister Oli in Baluwatar today morning decided to recommend the name of Gautam to President Bidya Devi Bhandari for the appointment of a member of the National Assembly. The post was vacant after Khatiwada’s two-year term expired six months ago.

There is only one seat vacant in the National Assembly and the ruling NCP (NCP) yesterday decided to nominate party vice chair Gautam.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Oli has himself taken the responsibilities of both finance, and information and communications ministries.

Nepali Congress suggests to focus on five sectors

Nepali Congress (NC) has suggested the central bank to focus monetary policy to check inflationary pressure.
Suggesting to focus monetary policy on five areas, a special committee of NC asked the central bank to focus on economic revival, long-term economic growth, financial reform, exchange rate and external sector stability, and regulation and supervision capacity.
The monetary policy holds paramount importance as Covid19 has devastated the national economy, adversely impacted the jobs and income of millions of people apart from hitting the confidence of the private sector, former finance minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said, in a press meet organised at the NC headquarters Sanepa today. The coordinator of the Nepali Congress special committee Dr Mahat also said that the target of both fiscal policy and monetary policy should be toward supporting Nepali society in getting rid of health, economic and human crises caused by the global pandemic.
“The monetary policy should offer flexibility on loan management through loan restructuring, reschedule loan repayment period and capitalisation of interest,” he said, asking the central bank to provide economic relief to tourism, transportation, construction and SMEs sectors that are hit hardest by Covid-19. “Thus, the refinance fund size should be increased to Rs 200 billion.”
He also said that only limited areas and groups have benefited from the current refinance fund.
Recommending the central bank to focus its monetary policy on five areas to address the current challenges, he said that the monetary policy for the current fiscal year 2020-21 should also check inflationary pressure.
The policy recommendations of the main opposition party comes at a time when the central bank is in the final stage of announcing the monetary policy for the current fiscal year 2020-21 that began today. The central bank is preparing to announce monetary policy for the current fiscal year tomorrow.
Advising the central bank to become cautious to minimize the effects of crowding out of private sector investments due to the government’s plan to raise nearly Rs 225 billion in domestic debts, the opposition party has asked the central bank to increase the limit of margin lending of banks and financial institutions (BFIs), huge discounts on profit tax for at least two years for BFIs to encourage merger and acquisition, and revision of the maximum limit for the digital payment.
Mahat, on the occasion, also showed serious concern over the weakening central bank’s autonomy in these past years. “The central bank has become a mere shadow of Finance Ministry,” Mahat said.

Nepal, Switzerland join hands to develop small irrigation systems in the Mid-hills

Nepal and Switzerland joined hands to develop small irrigation systems in the Mid-hills in Province 1.
Joint secretary at the Finance Ministry Shreekrishna Nepal and ambassador of Switzerland to Nepal Elisabeth von Capeller signed the agreement to implement Small Irrigation Programme (SIP)-Phase II and exchanged it between them, on behalf of their respective governments, today at the Finance Ministry.
The total budget of the programme is over 49.46 million Swiss Francs (equivalent to Rs 5.69 billion) where Switzerland has agreed to provide grants of 17.60 million Swiss Francs (equivalent to Rs 2.02 billion) and Nepal will contribute 8.86 million Swiss Francs (equivalent to Rs 1.02 billion),” reads a press note issued by the Embassy of Switzerland in Kathmandu. “The Province 1 government and participating local governments will contribute 20 per cent each of the total cost of the civil works, while Water Users Associations will contribute 10 per cent of the civil works,” it reads, adding that the programme will be implemented by the local governments of mid-hills of Province 1 over the next 4 and half years. “The programme will develop around 1,300 small irrigation schemes covering total irrigation area of 20,000 hectares benefitting more than 65,000 small farming households with an aim to double their agriculture income.”
The government has expressed its sincere appreciation to Switzerland for the assistance as well as its continued support in the socio-economic development of Nepal, the press note further reads.

Local governments to get Indian aid as conditional grant

The government is going to disburse aid under India’s Small Development Project Scheme (SDPS) to local governments after channeling resources to the national budget.
The cabinet – on December 23 – approved a proposal of the Finance Ministry about ways to implement the projects to be financed under the scheme that has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The scheme had remained controversial due to its nature of direct funding to the projects through local governments from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu without using the Federal budgetary system.
According to the new modality, SDPS will be brought under the federal budgetary system and channeled to the local governments as conditional grants, in line with the Development Cooperation Policy introduced in May.
Conditional grant is the type of grant provided to implement a specific project and the local government cannot spend it on other projects. The government can allocate the budget for the local level from the fiscal year 2020-21 after the federal government gets the Indian aid, according to the Finance Ministry. “Under the scheme, India has been providing up to Rs 50 million to implement small infrastructure projects through the local governments.”
Earlier the grant used to go to the local levels directly raising eyebrows. But after the new constitution promulgated in 2015 required foreign assistance to be channelled through the national budget to ensure transparency in aid, the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government in November 2017 extended the tenure of the scheme with the caveat that funds pass through national budgetary system, The Federal government will decide which agency implements the project, according to the new rule.
A cabinet meeting – in July 2018 – made it mandatory for India to sign an agreement with Finance Ministry to implement the projects under the scheme and route funds through the central account.
Launched in November 2003, the projects are popularly known as ‘umbrella agreement’, on the basis of which the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu had been extending assistance to various projects.
But bringing the Indian aid under the small grant scheme will not only promote transparency but also helps keep tab on how much money has been spent under the scheme.

Government fails to meet revenue mobilisaion, spending targets

The government has failed to expedite the budget expenditure, and also failed to meet the revenue mobilisation target even in the five months.
Though the government has claimed to enhance the budget implementation capacity, it has been able to spend only 9.05 per cent of capital expenditure in the first five months of the current fiscal year, according to the Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO).
According to the Financial Comptroller General Office, the government has managed to spend only Rs 37.49 billion or 9.05 per cent of the total Rs 408 billion budget allocated for capital expenditure for the current fiscal year 2019-20. Similarly, the government has till today spent Rs 246.92 billion – or 25.8 per cent – of the total Rs 957.10 billion recurrent budget. Recurrent expenditure is primarily the spending of the government on salaries of government staffers, social security and other expenses.
“Of the total budget of Rs 167.86 billion under Financing budget, the government has been able to spend Rs 14.17 billion or 8.44 per cent,” according to the FCGO. “The government’s total budget spending – including capital expenditure, financing and recurrent – during the five months of the current fiscal year stood at Rs 298.6 billion or 19.48 per cent of the total budget of Rs 1.53 trillion for the current fiscal year.”
The government – in the budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 – had announced that it would observe the current fiscal year as the year to implement budget. But the lethargic development expenditure hints at a slow pace of development activities also due to inefficient bureaucracy and age-old state machinery, despite the most powerful government in the history of Nepal. However, the Finance Ministry, as always, claimed to address the perennial problem of low capital spending through different measures. But the government measures – to accelerate the spending – have also failed to push for the capital expenditure.
The problem lies in project planning and execution, according to the experts, who blames the low budget spending to result of lack of proper project planning, weak policy execution capacity of the bureaucracy and weak project execution capacity of contractors. "The problem has become more serious as the bureaucracy has been highly politicised, and lacks meritocracy."
The Finance Ministry, however, claimed that budget implementation is dependent on cooperation and coordination among different ministries – especially the Physical Planning Ministry – and they have not been able to coordinate. The Finance Ministry also blames sluggish capital expenditure to the Public Procurement Act, which is under process to be reviewed to expedite the expenditure.

Earthquake reconstruction, energy projects help improve ADB's operations

Overall operations of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Nepal has improved as of July 31, 2019 compared with the same period last year, on the back of continued contribution to the country’s earthquake reconstruction efforts and a number of ongoing energy projects, said ADB country director for Nepal Mukhtor Khamudkhanov.
“While Nepal’s portfolio performance has improved, challenges remain and further improvement is crucial to tapping into ADB’s lending resources,” Khamudkhanov today said at the opening of the annual Tripartite Portfolio Review (TPR) meeting – organised jointly with Finance Ministry – of ADB operations in Nepal.
ADB’s lending to Nepal has increased in recent years, reaching the highest commitment level in 2018 at $592 million. Of the net available funding amount of $2.7 billion spread over 31 investment projects, 68 per cent has been contracted out and 42 per cent has been disbursed as of July 31.
“Effective project preparation and better project readiness are critical to ensuring that a project’s development impact is realised on the ground without delays,” said the head of ADB’s Portfolio Management Unit in Nepal Rudi van Dael. “Timely submission of Audited Project Financial Statements and timely closure of projects are also important in improving the portfolio performance and to avoid time and cost overruns.”
“The review process is a good exercise to examine the implementation constraints and formulate agreed actions to achieve the projected 2019 targets,” said the joint secretary and chief of Finance Ministry International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division (IECCD) Shreekrishna Nepal.
ADB’s support to Nepal’s reconstruction efforts after the 2015 earthquake totals $389 million. The reconstruction of 154 schools under the ADB-supported Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) is nearing completion. As of August 2019, the total disbursement for the project for this year has reached $38.75 million and is expected to meet the 2019 target of $59.53 million by the end of the year, according to the multilateral development partner.
ADB is one of the leading development partners in Nepal in the energy sector, with $554 million in commitments. “Of the $101.2 million contract award target set for 2019, some $111.2 million has already been awarded, exceeding the annual target,” a press note issued by the ADB reads, adding that this was mainly contributed by the Power Transmission and Distribution Efficiency Enhancement Project, with contracts worth $74 million awarded. “ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.”
In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, 49 from the region.

Central Bank plans to separate industrialist and bankers

Central bank mulls to dismantle industrialist-bank nexus to avert possible risk in the financial sector.
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) governor Dr Chiranjibi Nepal said that the financial sector regulator plans to dismantle the business-bank nexus also to avert conflict of interest.
Though, six years ago then governor and incumbent finance minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada advised bank directors to either become a banker or a businessperson, the central bank has not been able to separate banker and business person as most of the banks and financial institutions have been promoted by the businessmen and industrialists.
It is the central bank’s responsibility to keep hawk’s eye on the banks as they are only the custodians of the public money, he said, adding that the Finance Ministry is preparing an amendment to the Bank and Financial Institutions Act (BAFIA) 2017 including the provision of separating industrialist and banker.
The regulator’s move to include a provision forbidding industrialists and business owners – on the basis of their investment in other private companies – from taking the helm of financial institutions as directors will come after the amendment of the BAFIA is approved by the house.
The amended law is expected to control the practice of injecting public deposits in right shares by directors of financial institutions. Currently, the central bank has barred directors of a bank from withdrawing loans from the financial institution they represent.
In India, a person is not allowed to run a business and a bank simultaneously. And Nepal is trying to follow the Indian model in the banking.
The amendment in the BAFIA-2017 will also have provision that a bank requires to appoint its chief executive officer only after central bank’s screening of the candidate. “A fit and proper test of proposed CEOs, who guide the banks, is necessity of the time.”

NRA allocates Rs 156 billion for next fiscal year

The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has allocated Rs 156 billion budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 to expedite reconstruction and rehabilitation works.
A meeting of the NRA’s directorate committee chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli took a decision today evening, reads a press release issued by the NRA today.
During the meeting, PM Oli directed the NRA authorities to accomplish the remaining tasks of the reconstruction while expressing satisfaction to the pace of ongoing reconstruction efforts.
On the occasion, finance minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the Finance Ministry has been holding consultation with the various development partners for additional financial resources required for remaining reconstruction works. "The development partners are positive to extend support for remaining reconstruction works," he informed.
NRA's chief executive officer Sushil Gyewali briefed the committee that the NRA is unlikely to complete its task of reconstruction within its stipulated five-year tenure. "We are expediting the reconstruction works given the budget," he said, adding that the NRA hopes to complete the main tasks of the reconstruction within next 20 months. "The NRA is not in favour of its term extension."
"Once the tenure of the NRA expires, the remaining reconstruction-related works can be handed over to the proposed National Disaster Management Authority or other concerned government agencies," he said.
Though, the NRA has already spent three years of its five-year term, some of the mega reconstruction projects like Dharahara and Ranipokhari has just started. Amid political squabbling, the NRA was established nine months after the 2015 devastating earthquake.