Nepal-India agree new loans, to push ongoing hydro projects

Nepal and India today signed an agreement for a line of credit (LoC) of $750 million for post-earthquake reconstruction in Nepal.
"We have today signed the agreement for a line of credit of $750 million for post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepal," Indian Prime Minister Modi said in a speech at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi, according to the Press Information Bureau at the office of the Indian prime minister. "I am confident that it would bring relief to millions of people affected by last year's devastating earthquake in Nepal," he added.
India has also agreed to extend additional LoC for new projects such as Phase-2 of  the Tarai Roads, power transmission lines, substations and a polytechnic in Kaski, Modi said, adding that India's initiatives for open skies, cross-border power trade, transit routes and cross-border connectivity would directly benefit Nepal and help strengthen economic partnership. "Nepal and India are also closely working on a range of areas of economic engagement including energy and water resources sectors," he said.
"Prime Minister Prachanda and I agreed to push for speedy and successful implementation of the ongoing hydro-power projects, and development and operationalisation of transmission lines," he said, adding that it would be a source of much needed energy, and revenue generation for Nepal.
Modi also said that he and the visiting Nepali prime minister have agreed to showcase the shared Buddhist heritage and focus on the development of Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine, apart from agreeing to focus on close monitoring and time-bound completion of all development projects. "I and the Nepali prime minister are confident that our decisions today would provide strength to the economic engagement and take it to new heights."
The $750-million credit line is over and above the $1 billion – $250 million as grants and $750 million as a soft loan – which India announced following the devastating earthquake in Nepal last year that claimed over 8,000 lives.
Likewise, Nepal and India also signed a memorandum of agreement (MoU) for project management consultancy services for upgrading and improving the road infrastructure in Nepal's Tarai area.
National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) – an Indian government company under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that is mandated to build a network of roads in tough terrain, including the north eastern Indian states – is going to provide consultancy to the Nepal government for construction of 10 postal roads in the Tarai region bordering India, at a cost of Indian IRs 5 billion.
Likewise, Nepal and India also signed another agreement on a first amendatory dollar credit line for post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Nepal, according to the PIB.
However, Nepal has failed to prepare projects to absorb the earlier line of credit (LoC) of $1 billion announced by Modi in 2014. Nepal has only been able to absorb only $550 million out of the total.
Of the total of LoC announced in 2014, a total of 14 road projects including small ones and local ones have been identified that could consume $330 million, while $200 million has been allocated for two irrigation projects.

ADB projects 4.8 per cent economic growth, 8.5 per cent inflation

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected the economy to grow by 4.8 per cent – due to continued normalisation of trade and supplies, steady remittance inflows, faster pace of post-earthquake reconstruction, modest fiscal stimulus and more normal monsoon – in the current fiscal year. The government has targeted to achieve 6.5 per cent economic growth.
Likewise, the inflation, according to the ADB, will remain at 8.5 per cent, due to better agricultural harvest on the back of normal monsoon, subdued inflation in India, low international fuel and commodity prices, and normalisation of production and supplies since February 2016, which will likely lower general prices of goods and services in the current fiscal year despite the demand-side pressures emanating from the earthquake-related fiscal stimulus.
However, the government – in its budget – and central bank – in the Monetary Policy – has targeted to contain the inflation under 7.5 per cent.
Releasing the Macroeconomic Outlook for 2016-17 today, the multilateral development partner said that the ongoing developments and a cautiously optimistic outlook on reconstruction and political situation is expected to push the GDP growth to 4.8 per cent.
The ADB forecast is, however, lower than the government's target of 6.5 per cent announced in the budget for the current fiscal years. ADB has tried to accommodate the downside risks while calculating the economic forecast.
Agriculture, industry and services outputs are expected to contribute 0.7, 1.0 and 3.0 percentage points, said the ADB country director Kenichi Yokohama, releasing the Outlook.
A downside risk to the forecast is the more than expected damage caused by natural disasters, especially flooding and landslides, to agricultural output; slow rehabilitation and reconstruction works; slow pace of budget execution; and depressed demand in services sector arising from the deceleration of remittance inflows. But the better monsoon and expected pace of reconstruction works – in the current fiscal year – has helped create moderately optimistic scenario, the report reads.
"However, it hinges on the scale of recovery of agricultural output given the normal monsoon, the scope and pace of post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation, budget execution, and remittance inflows,” principal economist at the ADB Sharad Bhandari said, adding that the monsoon rains were above normal and on time unlike in the past few years.
Approximately, 80 per cent of total rainfall occurs between June and September. The Ministry of Agricultural Development has estimated that paddy transplantation has been higher compared to previous years. Paddy transplantation averaged about 95 per cent of 1.4 million hectares of rice field by the first week of August, much higher than 75 per cent in the fiscal year 2014-15.
However, widespread flooding in the Tarai region and the mid-hills, and landslides caused some damage to crops during the last week of July and the first week of August, he added. "The outlook for industrial and services output is contingent upon the evolving political situation, reconstruction work, pace of budget execution, recovery of tourism sector and remittance inflows," said Bhandari.
The scope and pace of reconstruction projects will affect demand for quarrying, manufacturing and construction activities, which largely dictates the trajectory of industrial output.
Timely, effective and judicious budget execution, which includes both accelerated spending and reform measures, will be at the core of industrial and services sector recovery. Similarly, a slowdown in the growth of overseas migrants is bound to affect remittance inflows, which subsequently would affect the major components in the services sector, he said, adding that increasing the quantum and quality capital spending is crucial to building the necessary infrastructure to graduate from Least Development Country (LDC) status to a developing status by 2022, and the long-term goal of becoming a middle income country by 2030.

PPA implementation still challenging
KATHMANDU: Though amended Public Procurement Act (2016) has some desirable features, there remains a gamut of challenges in the procurement process that has delayed the development projects, the Asian Development Bank said today.
Additional penalties – forfeiture of bid security – may not be sufficient to engage good contractors, read a special chapter of the Macroeconomic Outlook for 2016-17 issued by the ADB. "Improved quality of selection is also necessary," it reads, adding, "Additional performance guarantees may not be sufficient to deal with low bids, apart from stringent technical evaluation is necessary."
Likewise, the increase in threshold to Rs 20 million from Rs 6 million for works contracts/tender without requiring bidders' qualification may foster malpractice in the construction industry, it states identifying the challenges. "Thresholds applied to international bidders may violate World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules as well as procedures of multilateral development banks," the report added.
The multilateral donor, however, has praised the amendment for placing clearer authority on chief of the procuring entity for timely and quality procurement and execution of contract; for explicitly recognising e-bidding now and six additional direct procurement methods added, greater delegation of authority to facilitate decisions on cost variations, PPMO's regulatory functions strengthened, greater clarity on different procurement processes for methods such as design and build, turnkey/EPC, public-private partnerships, among others.

Nepal drops two notches in economic freedom

Nepal has been ranked 108 out of 159 countries and territories included in the Economic Freedom of the World: 2016 Annual Report, released today by Samriddhi Foundation in conjunction with Canada's Fraser Institute. Last year, Nepal was at the 106th position with a score of 6.56.
With an overall score of 6.54 – in a scale of 1 to 10 where a higher value indicates a higher level of economic freedom – Nepal ranked 108th out of 159 jurisdictions in this year's index. With this, Nepal has dropped two places down in the global ranking.
Nepal's score dropped to 7.89 from 8.72 under Size of Government component, whereas its score climbed to 4.79 from 4.33 under Legal System and Property Rights. But Nepal has the worst score and ranking in Legal System and Property Rights.
Likewise, Nepal's score in Access to Sound Money climbed to 6.43 from 6.42. Nepal also improved its score to 6.72 from 6.47 under Freedom to Trade Internationally.
Under Regulation of Credit, Labor and Business Component also, Nepal's score climbed to 6.87 from 6.85. However, overall score dropped to 6.54 this year from last year's 6.56, according to the report.
"Economic freedom leads to prosperity and a higher quality of life, while the lowest-ranked countries are usually burdened by oppressive regimes that limit the freedom and opportunity of their citizens,” said Fred McMahon, Dr Michael A Walker Research chair in Economic Freedom with the Fraser Institute.
Economic freedom - also second generation human rights - ensures countries' prosperity.
According to research in top peer-reviewed academic journals, people living in countries with high levels of economic freedom enjoy greater prosperity, more political and civil liberties, and longer lives.
For example, countries in the top quartile of economic freedom had an average per-capita GDP of $41,228 in 2014, compared to $5,471 for bottom quartile nations. Moreover, the average income in 2014 of the poorest 10 per cent in the most economically free countries ($11,283) dwarfed the overall average income in the least free countries ($5,471).
And life expectancy is 80.4 years in the top quartile countries compared to 64 years in the bottom quartile.
Globally, Hong Kong (9.03) again tops the index, continuing its streak of number one ranking, followed by Singapore (8.71), New Zealand (8.35), Switzerland (8.25), Canada (7.98), Georgia (7.98), Ireland (7.98), Mauritius (7.98), and United Arab Emirates (7.98). Australia and the United Kingdom tied for 10th with a score of 7.93, according to the report.
The 10 lowest-ranked countries in this year's report are Iran, Algeria, Chad, Guinea, Angola, Central African Republic, Argentina, Republic of Congo, Libya and Venezuela.
Some despotic countries such as North Korea and Cuba couldn't be ranked due to lack of data, the report states. The report further reads that Germany (7.55), Japan (7.42), France (7.30), Russia (6.66), India (6.50), China (6.45) and Brazil (6.27) are some of the countries that have improved their ranking.
The Fraser Institute produces the annual Economic Freedom of the World Report in cooperation with the Economic Freedom Network -- a group of independent research and educational institutes in nearly 100 nations and territories.
The Economic Freedom of the World Report is world's premier measurement of economic freedom, measuring and ranking countries in five areas: size of government, legal structure and security of property rights, access to sound money, freedom to trade internationally, and regulation of credit, labor and business.
This year's publication ranks 159 countries and territories.

NAC aircraft’s tire flattens at TIA

A tire of an aircraft of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) from New Delhi got flattened while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) today afternoon.
TIA sources that one rear tire of the Airbus A320 burst while it was heading to parking bay after landing. "The aircraft is stranded after the tire got flattened, we are unable to take it to the parking bay,” said an official at TIA.
The Air Traffic Control Tower quickly alerted the pilot that wheel no. 2 was detached towards the runway while he was conducting a touchdown roll. The 158-seater Airbus Lumbini was fully occupited, sources said. But all the passengers onboard the plane are safe and have been shifted to the airport terminal. The burst also caused some damage on the runway.
The country’s only international airport has been closed and all flights in and out of TIA were halted for an hour after the aircraft got stuck at runway. According to TIA Spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur, all inbound and outboud flights were halted from 12:45 pm to 1:48pm.
The flight 206 onboard had 150 passengers including foreign minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, who was flying into Kathmandu from New Delhi.
Mahat was returning home after completing his two-day official visit to New Delhi to set the stage for visit of Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', which is slated to begin from September 15.
Meanwhile, NAC has also cancelled all Airbus-sector flights including New Delhi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Mumbai until further notice, according to NAC’s spokesperson Ram Hari Sharma. The national flag carrier is trying to reschedule few flights as it has now only one Boeing-757 for international operations.

PM to personally monitor national pride projects

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachnada' has announced that he will personally take stock of all the national pride projects.
Addressing the 37th meeting of National Development Action Committee (NDAC) today, the premier, who also chairs the National Planning Commission (NPC), said that he would personally monitor the national pride projects.
Stating that the past fiscal years have seen low budget spending – especially the development budget that is expected to create employment and contribute to capital formation – Dahal directed the ministers and the secretaries to create an environment to ensure that development projects are completed in time as per the schedule. "If the projects are not moving forward as per the schedule, apply carrot and stick policy," he told ministers and secretaries.
Annual average spending over the past decade stands at around 70 per cent also due to weak governance, age-old administration, political transition and inefficient bureaucracy.
In the last fiscal year 2015-16, the government was able to spend only around half of the development budget.
In the last fiscal year, the government was able to spend 56.30 per cent despite huge reconstruction work expected due to the devastating earthquake of 2015. According to the Financial Comptroller General's Office, the government had spent 71.47 per cent or Rs 585.65 billion, of the total budget of Rs 819 billion in the last fiscal year. Among them, the status of the national pride projects was pathetic.
Asking the ministers and the secretaries to take action against those who are responsible for delay in projects, the PM directed them to identify those, who spend 11 months of the year without doing anything, and spend haphazardly on the 12th month, and punish them accordingly.
Last moment spending has been a repeated trend in Nepal. It not only encourages misuse of resources, but also leads to corruption.
Apart from improving the current governance system and restructuring administrative mechanism, the political leadership must regularly prod the bureaucracy to expedite development projects, if the development projects need to be completed on time.
On one hand the government is unable to spend the development budget and on the other, most of the spending has been on unproductive sector that can neither generate employment nor help capital formation. The delay has only helped in cost escalation of development projects, pulling the economic growth down. In the last fiscal year, Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) had projected the economy to grow by only 0.77 per cent.
Until policy reforms, depoliticisation of the bureaucracy, enhancing of institutional capacity and restructuring of administration can be achieved, the government – especially PM Dahal – should take a lead role in expediting development projects under his personal initiative, say experts also.
Either Nepal has to expedite development projects on a war footing now or remain poor, under developed and paralysed. In the current fiscal year too, the government has been able to spend only 3.86 per cent of the total budget by the end of the second month.
Delayed development projects have not only been holding the country back, but also adding to economic costs for the people. The weakness of the planning commission and also the various ministries in effectively monitoring development work is going to cost not only the economy but also social progress, as scarce and precious resources are misused in the last months every year thereby encouraging financial indiscipline and recklessness.
The delay in development projects is also due to negligence in monitoring and evaluation, and this has to be looked into seriously, PM Dahal said, asking the bureaucracy and ministers to make sure that the capital budget meet the 80 per cent spending target in the current fiscal year.
Dahal also asked the secretaries and ministers to be present in the meeting with complete homework on how to expedite development projects.
Currently, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers looks after mega projects whereas the Finance Ministry looks after projects with outlays of above Rs 150 million. The ministries concerned are also responsible for monitoring development projects apart from the National Planning Commission. Likewise, the parliamentary committees – especially the Development Committee and Public Accounts Committee – also take stock of the development projects. However, many blame the parliamentary committees for obstructing development projects rather than facilitating them.
Almost all the development projects are either running behind schedule, thereby escalating costs, or have shown little progress due to not only political instability but also lack of regular monitoring by the respective departments, ministries, National Planning Commission, and the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.
The premier instructed the chiefs of development projects to terminate their contracts if the main contractor is not working in the field.

After Finance Ministry green signal, NAC to buy two widebody jets

If everything goes as planned, national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) will have a new Airbus in its fleet by next September. "We are planning to bring one wide body aircraft by September 2017 while a second one will arrive by April 2018," said Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) managing director Sugat Ratna Kansakar.
The national flag carrier is planning to call a tender for two wide body aircraft by December and sign the aircraft purchase agreement by March 2017, he said, adding that the plan appeared possible after finance minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara today promised the NAC team led by tourism minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi that he would table the proposal in the cabinet soon.
"Finance Minister Mahara has promised to take the proposal to the cabinet to secure the government's guarantee," he added.
NAC had long been seeking government guarantee to purchase two wide body aircraft and expand in the international market. Currently, the national flag carrier flies to eight international destinations including three Indian cities, and it plans to expand to Guangzhou, China soon. The new wide body aircraft will help NAC start non-stop flights to London, Kansakar added.
We will be borrowing Rs 25 billion from the Citizens Investment Trust (CIT) and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) after the government's guarantee, Kansakar said. "Details of the borrowing plan are being worked out."
NAC has already borrowed Rs 10 billion from EPF for the purchase of two Airbus aircraft last year. The details for fresh borrowing will be worked out by the board and the nitty-gritty of the procurement finalised, he added.
The national flag carrier is planning to phase out its ageing Boeing 757s and run an all-Airbus fleet. The induction of two new jets will bring the number of Airbus aircraft with NAC to four. The Airbus 330 can accommodate up to 280 passengers and serve long-haul destinations like the UK, Japan and Australia.
NAC currently has five different types of aircraft – Boeing, Airbus, Twin Otter, MA60 and Y12e – in its fleet and this has made it difficult to manage different sets of pilots, engineers and spare parts.
The current fiscal year budget has also promised funds for the national carrier to buy the widebodies. NAC's market share on the international routes stood at 7.88 per cent in 2015, up from 5.87 per cent in 2014. Two new Airbus aircraft is expected to double the market share.
The Plan
• To fly non-stop on Kathmandu-London-Kathmandu route
• First widebody likely ro arrive by September 2017
• Second one by April 2018

पूरक बजेट ल्याउने तयारी छैनः अर्थमन्त्री

सरकारले पूरक बजेटको कुनै तयारी नगरेको उपप्रधानमन्त्री तथा अर्थमन्त्री कृष्णबहादुर महराले बताएका छन् । पछिल्लो समय सरकारले पूरक बजेट ल्याउने हल्ला चले तापनि अर्थ मन्त्रालयले यस सम्बन्धमा कुनै गृहकार्य नगरेको उनले जानकारी दिए ।
बिहीबार अर्थसमितिमा बोल्दै महराले यो राजनीतिक विषय भएकोले राजनीतिक सहमतिका आधारमा मात्रै पूरक बजेट आउने, नआउने टुंगो लाग्छ भन्दै उनले यस विषयमा मन्त्रालयमा कुनै गृहकार्य नभएको बताए ।
एकपटक अस्वीकृत भएको विधेयक फेरि संसदको सोही बैठकमा पेस गर्न नमिल्ने भएकाले पनि आश्रित विधेयक ल्याउन राजनीतिक सहमति आवश्यक भएको महराले बताए ।
नेकपा (माओवादी केन्द्र) तथा नेपाली कांग्रेसले संसदबाट पूर्ववर्ती ओली सरकारले ल्याएको राष्ट्र ऋण उठाउने सम्बन्धी विधयेक, ऋण तथा जमानत सम्बन्धी विधयेक र राजस्व उठाउने सम्बन्धी विधयेक अस्वीकृत गराएका थिए । यसले गर्दा ओली सरकार संकटमा परेको थियो । आफैंले असफल गराएको बजेटमा आश्रित विधयेक भने संसदमा फेरि लग्नेबारे मन्त्रालयमा छलफल गरिरहेको महराले बताए । ‘आफैंले बजेट आश्रित तीन विधयेक संसदबाट अस्वीकृत गराएको हु्नाले पनि सरकारको प्राथमिकताका ती विधयेक कसरी संसदमा लाने भन्ने तयारीमा अर्थ मन्त्रालय जुटेको छ,’ उनले भने ।
यी तीन विधेयक संसदमा बहुमतले अस्वीकृत भएका हुन् । विनियोजन विधेयक पास भइसकेको अवस्थामा नेपालको इतिहासमै पहिलोपटक बजेट आश्रित अन्य विधेयक अस्वीकृत भएको थियो । चालु आर्थिक वर्षको लागि ल्याइएको बजेटमा खर्च गर्ने सम्बन्धी विधयेक पारित भए पनि स्रोत व्यवस्थापन सम्बन्धी विधयेक अस्वीकृत भएका थिए ।
‘आश्रित विधेयक संसदमा पेस भएका बेलाको सरकारमाथि सबै राजनीतिक दलको अविश्वास भएपछि असफल भएको हो,’ महराले भने, ‘वर्तमान सरकारमा सबैको विश्वास रहेकाले विधेयक छिट्टै संसदमा पेस हुनेछ ।’
अर्थ मन्त्रालयले यी तीनै विधयेक यसै साता संसदमा पेस गर्ने गरी गृहकार्य भइरहेको जानकारी दिए तापनि यसै संसदमा यी विधयेक लान मिल्ने कि नमिल्ने भन्ने अन्योल अझै छ । यसअघि अस्वीकृत विधेयक जस्ताको तस्तै पारित गर्दा पनि फेल गर्नुको औचित्य पुष्टि नहुने र परिवर्तन गरेर लैजान पनि नसक्ने बाध्यात्मक अवस्थाका कारण अर्थ मन्त्रालयमा पनि यसले ठूलै अन्योल सिर्जना गरेको छ ।
‘संसदको नियमावलीलाई निलम्बन गरेर मात्र ती विधयेक ल्याउनुपर्ने भएकाले राजनीतिक सहमति आवश्यक भएको छ,’ उनले भने, ‘सहमति हुनसाथ विधेयकहरु संसदमा पेस हुनेछन् ।’
‘जुन अधिवेशनमा विधयेक अस्वीकृत भयो त्यही अधिवेशनमा पुनः सो विधयेक पेस गर्न संसद नियमावलीले दिँदैन । आश्रित विधयेक तत्काल पारित नगरी नहुने अवस्था छ,’ महराले बैठकमा जानकारी दिए, ‘यसको लागि नियमावली निलम्बन गर्नुपर्छ, नियमावली निलम्बन गर्न राजनीतिक सहमति चाहिन्छ । अहिले हामी अप्ठेरोमा पनि छौं ।’
ऋाफू राजनीतिक सहमति जुटाउन लागिपरेको भन्दै उनले राष्ट्र ऋण उठाउने विधेयक र जमानत विधेयकमा भने आफूले केही पुनरावलोकन गर्न खोजेको बताए । उनले बजेटको कुल अंक र विषयमा फरक नपर्ने गरी परिमार्जन गर्न सकिन्छ कि भनेर अध्ययन गरिरहेको पनि जानकारी दिए ।
आर्थिक वर्ष २०७३–०७४ मा बजेट आश्रित तीन विधेयक संसदबाट अस्वीकृत भए पनि राजस्व संकलनमा हालसम्म कुनै बाधा परेको छैन । सरकारले सामूहिक कर असुली ऐन २०१२ अनुसार ६ महिनासम्म राजस्व संकलन गर्न पाउने भन्दै त्यही आधारमा अहिले राजस्व संकलन गरिरहेको छ । संसदमा बजेट सार्वजनिक भएकै दिन अर्थ मन्त्रालयले सामूहिक कर असुली ऐन २०१२ लागू गरिसकेको थियो । तर, आश्रित तीन विधेयक संसदबाट अस्वीकृत भएपछि त्यसको कानुनी औचित्य सकिएको अर्थशास्त्रीहरुको दाबी भए तापनि सरकार भने त्यसैको आधारमा ६ महिनासम्म राजस्व असुलीमा समस्या नपर्ने बताइरहेको छ ।
बैठकमा अर्थसचिव शान्तराज सुबेदीले २०१२ सालको सामूहिक कर असुली ऐनअनुसार आगामी मंसिर १५ गतेसम्म मात्र नयाँ दरमा कर उठाउन सकिने भएकाले आश्रित विधेयक संसदबाट छिट्टै पास गर्नुपर्ने बताए । ‘खर्च विधेयक पारित भए पनि सोसँग सम्बन्धित अन्य आश्रित विधेयक बाँकी रहँदा अर्थ मन्त्रालयमा समस्या आउन थालेको छ,’ उनले भने । आश्रित विधेयक संसदबाट पारित नभए मंसिर १५ गतेदेखि नयाँ कर दर लागू नहुने र पुरानो दर लागू भई फिर्ता दिनुपर्ने गम्भीर अवस्था आउने उनले बताए । सुबेदीले १ साउनमै खर्चको अख्तियारी दिए पनि अझै कार्यक्रम स्वीकृत नभएको र यसले बजेट कार्यान्वयनमा समस्या भएको बताए ।
यस्तै, राजस्व सचिव राजन खनालले पनि बैठकमा करको दरमा परिवर्तन गर्न नसकिने बनाए । खर्च विधेयक संसदबाट पारित भइसकेको अवस्थामा करको दर र ऋण उठाउने कुरामा परिवर्तन आए १० खर्ब ४८ अर्बको बजेट अंकमा असर पर्ने भन्दै आश्रित विधेयक पारितको विकल्प नभएको उनले बताए ।
विधेयकमा प्रक्षेपण गरिएका राजस्वका दर घटाउँदा पनि उठाइसकेको राजस्व फिर्ता गर्नुपर्ने र त्यसलाई बढाउँदा पनि यसअघि संकलन भइसकेको राजस्वमा बढे जति पुनः असुली गर्नुपर्ने भएकाले सरकारलाई अप्ठेरो परेको हो ।
खनालले संसद चलिरहेको अवस्थामा पनि २०१२ सालको ऐन अनुसार सूचित आदेशको भरमा राजस्व उठाउनुपर्ने अवस्था आएको बताए । कर लगाउने अधिकार संसदलाई भए पनि सूचित आदेशको भरमा कर उठाउनुपर्ने बाध्यता आएको सन्दर्भमा संसद गम्भीर हुनुपर्ने उनको भनाइ छ ।
बैठकमा समितिका सभापति प्रकाश ज्वालाले राजनीतिक कारण देखाएर महत्वपूर्ण विधयेक फेल गर्ने परिपाटीले भोलिका दिनमा गम्भीर समस्या आउन सक्ने बताए ।
सरकारको प्राथमिकता आश्रित विधेयक संसदबाट पारित गर्न रहेको जानकारी दिँदै महराले संविधानको धारा १२१ मा भएको व्यवस्थाअनुसार सरकारले आवश्यक ठानेमा पूरक बजेट ल्याउन सक्ने भए पनि पूरक बजेटका विषयमा मन्त्रालयमा छलफल र तयारी नभएको उनले बैठकमा बताए । गत वर्षको बजेट खर्च हुन नसकेर धेरै बचत भएकाले थप गरेर पूरक बजेट ल्याउने कि भन्ने सामान्य छलफल भने भएको उनले स्विकारे ।
गत वर्ष ५९ अर्ब रुपैयाँ बचत हुने अनुमानविपरीत १ खर्ब २७ अर्ब रुपैयाँ बचत भएको छ । गत वर्ष लक्ष्यभन्दा २२ अर्ब रुपैयाँ बढी राजस्व संकलन भएकाले पनि पूरक बजेटबारे कुरा आएको भन्दै अर्थमन्त्रीले पैसा हुने तर खर्च नहुने प्रवृत्ति बढ्दै गएकोप्रति चिन्ता प्रकट गरे ।
राष्ट्रिय योजना आयोगका उपाध्यक्ष मीनबहादुर श्रेष्ठले स्रोतको अभाव नभएकोले योजना आयोगले केही गर्नुपर्ने भए त्यसको लागि तयार भएको बताए । नयाँ संविधानअनुसार तत्कालीन अर्थमन्त्री विष्णुप्रसाद पौडेलले जेठ १५मा नै आर्थिक वर्ष २०७३–०७४ का लागि १० खर्ब ४८ अर्ब रुपैयाँको बजेट पेस गरेका थिए । समयमै बजेट आएकाले अर्थतन्त्रमा सकारात्मक असर पर्ने आस गरिए पनि सत्ता परिवर्तनको खेलका कारण पहिलो दिनदेखि नै त्यो अपेक्षामा तुषारापात भएको थियो ।
बजेट राज्यको वार्षिक आम्दानी र खर्चको लोखाजोखा मात्र नभई राज्यको आर्थिक, सामाजिक तथा राजनीतिक भविष्यको ऐना हो । तर राजनीतिक दल तथा सत्ताको दुष्चक्रमा परेर नेपालमा बजेट विगत १ दशकदेखि नै प्रयोजनविहीन हुँदै आएको छ । विकास खर्च नहुने र तलब तथा भत्ताको लागि र नियमित खर्चको लागिमात्रै बजेट प्रयोग भइरहँदा यसले अर्थतन्त्रलाई खाडलतिर धकेलिरहेको छ । झन् अनावश्यक पूरक बजेट ल्याउने हल्लाले झन् राजनीतिक रुपमा गलत सन्देश जाने देखिन्छ ।
अर्थशास्त्रीहरुका अनुसार पनि अहिले पूरक बजेट आवश्यक छैन । ‘बजेट कार्यान्वयनमा आएको २ महिना पनि नहुँदै बजेट आश्रित विधयेक पनि पारित नगरी किन पूरक बजेट ल्याउनु पर्यो भन्दै वरिष्ठ अर्थविद विश्वम्भर प्याकुरेलले पूरक बजेट ल्याउँदा सरकार र प्रतिपक्षबीच झन् दूरी बढेर जाने र राजनीतिक असमझदारी बढ्ने हुनाले अहिले ल्याइएको बजेटमै राखिएका केही कार्यक्रमको बजेट रकमान्तर गरी आवश्यक काम गर्न सकिने प्याकुरेलले बताए ।