Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: CpN (Maoist Centre) Deputy General Secretary and former Finance Minister Barshaman Pun has said that the budget presented by Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel in the federal parliament for the upcoming fiscal year has failed to touch the lower classes.
The fiscal year 2082 bs was held in Kathmandu on Monday. Speaking at a programme titled ‘Budget of 83’, former Finance Minister Pun said that the budget has neglected the sentiments of the people at the grassroots level instead of addressing them. He objected that the budget did not touch the poor, labourers, farmers and cooperative victims.
One of the reasons for the failure of the economy is the negative impact of the problems seen in cooperatives and microfinance, but the attention of the Finance Minister and the government has not gone towards it, pun said. “The problem of microfinance and cooperatives is also the reason for the failure of the economy to move,” he said. ’
In a different context, Pun said that he was apprehensive that more money was given to the Ministry of Urban Development in the next fiscal year’s budget than demanded. He said that they would find out the reason for increasing the budget to Rs 118 billion by increasing the ceiling of the ministry from Rs 91 billion. “What is the reason for giving rs 26 billion more budget to the ministry which has a ceiling of Rs 72 billion? It is suspected that corruption is being done by putting khalti’s schemes,” he said.
The National Planning Commission had set a ceiling of Rs 91 billion for the Ministry of Urban Development. However, Rs 118.34 billion has been allocated for the ministry. This is an increase of 28 percent compared to the current fiscal year.
The budget limit of most of the government’s 22 ministries has been reduced, while that of urban ones has been increased. Prakash Man Singh, who led the government on behalf of the Nepali Congress, is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development. Although Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel has claimed that no less than Rs 30 million has been allocated, a digital copy of the red book provided to the lawmakers has found that funds ranging from Rs 100,000 to Rs 500,000 have been allocated under the Ministry of Urban Development. “The Urban Development Minister has informally admitted that there are projects up to Rs 2.5 million. However, in the digital copy of the red book, schemes ranging from Rs 100,000 to Rs 500,000 have been found to be corrupt,” pun said. ’
Similarly, Pun said that the government has started bringing back the powers given to the state and local levels to the union. Pun said that the rights given below under the Ministries of Health, Education, Energy and Forests have been withdrawn against the spirit of the constitution related to federalism. “In principle, we are all in favour of federalism. Everyone has a commitment to it,” pun said, “But in practice, the rights given below have also been brought back.” ’
Stating that those who envision federalism are responsible for implementing it, Pun stressed the need to end the illiberal tendency seen in the implementation side. He said that the state and local levels do not trust the state and local levels and the state and local levels cannot trust the union. “We have designed federalism. There is distrust in each other now,” pun said, adding, “The situation where the union does not trust the state and local levels, the state and local levels do not trust the union should end.” ’
Pun said that the local levels have done effective work after federalism. According to him, the participation of the local people in the selection and implementation of other development projects, including physical infrastructure, has been effective.
