Honesty for implementation of upcoming budget

Kathmandu- National Assembly (NA) members have univocally stressed that the upcoming budget should be implemented effectively and honestly.

It may be noted that Minister for Finance Barshaman Pun on May 28 introduced Rs 1.86 trillion budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2024/25. Speaking in special hour of today’s NA’s meeting, Suresh Kumar Ale Magar asserted that honesty was needed for effective implementation of the newly unveiled budget.

Ale Magar said that the budget announced by the Finance Minister is endorsed by the parliament and goes to bureaucracy. “Thus, it is imperative to take forward developmental works by honestly spending capital expenditure,” he insisted. Stating that the Nepal Police personnel were unnecessarily harassing and intimidating general people in the name of money laundering prevention, he demanded action against those culprits intimidating the innocent ones.

Another NA member Anand Prasad Dhungana argued that the political leaders were squandering time by seeking vote of confidence going beyond the norms and values of republican system. He called for unity among the political leaders. According to him, 40 Acts remained to be formulated. Hence, he demanded that the pending Acts devised through ‘fast track’.

He hit out that the House meeting were convened in the provincial government during the time of seeking vote of confidence by the Chief Ministers. At this juncture of time, he saw the need for legislation that would further strengthen federalism. He cautioned all that the country was not far from instability and corruption due to political instability.

Furthermore, in lack of clarity about authority of the three-tier government, federalism could not be effectively implemented. NA member Gopal Bhattarai asserted that the quake-damaged houses should be reconstructed timely as, he added, that monsoon was soon to begin. Ganga Kumari Belbase said that the number of elderly people were increasing staggeringly lately and thus drew the attention of the government towards their management.

“The rights of senior citizens should be protected. They should be entitled to healthcare services. The local level should also take stock of the elderly people in their territory and do research and study so as to manage them properly”. Goma Devi Timlasina demanded compensation for the farmers whose crops were damaged by the recent incidents of storms.

She also pressed for reoperation the sick and defunct industries. Radheshya Paswan underscored implementation of rights to health guaranteed in the constitution. Narayan Dutta Bhatta, presenting the data that some estimated 1.8 million people could be affected by monsoon-induced disasters such as flood, inundation and landslide, highlighted the need for early preparedness for disaster risk reduction.

He questioned if we had adequate healthcare facilities to provide treatment to those sustaining injuries in the disasters such as flood and landslide. He also demanded early properness for prompt rescue, rehabilitation and compensation process during the disasters.