The fiscal year 2009/10 is not just another year in the fiscal and political calendar of Nepal. What we do or fail to do in the next one year will, in a way, define the future of the Nepali nation. In that sense too, this fiscal year will also be an extraordinary year for us. The political goals set by the government’s policy and programs are actually the goals of both the government and the opposition for they are also targets set by the interim constitution. Theoretically speaking, something that has been agreed upon by all should be easier to achieve. However, that’s not going to be the case—even if there is an agreement on the destination, there is still a great deal of differences when it comes to how to reach there.
On the financial front, many of the programs announced by the government in the budget are ‘populist’ in nature. But there is nothing surprising in it, for ‘populism’ is the hallmark of the communist parties, a brand-image for their survival. The more important questions here are: First, does our society need these programs, and second, are they implementable? The answer to the first question is yes. Who says conflict victims don’t need relief and support; homeless don’t deserve houses even if funded by the state; unemployed youths don’t need self-employment opportunities or some jobs to live with dignity; the poor don’t need ‘state-privileged identity cards’ that will provide them some assistance and a sense of belongingness; Nepalis don’t need some mega-development projects that will lift their national spirit and pride? We need all of them, and probably more. We are a country of the poor and any dose of well-thought out, impact making pro-poor policies and programs – whether you call them populist or socialist – are welcome.
However, remember that communist parties are strong at heart – they make generous offers – but are weak in mind; they rarely find skills, pragmatism and persistence needed for actual delivery. If the UML manages to implement each of the announced welfare programs impartially and by insulating them from favoritism and nepotism, there is no reason why it should not deserve kudos. But it’s certainly a big if.
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