During a meeting with top leaders of ruling UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-UML at the prime minister´s residence in Baluwatar Monday, NC leaders asked the government no to make the budget distributive.[break]
According to NC leader Dr Narayan Khadka, who was in the meeting, NC asked if the government was allocating Rs 130 million to pay compensation to the families of those killed during the Maoists conflict as reported in the media. "We have clearly said we won´t support such a budget," he said. "We have also asked the government not to distribute funds in the name of cooperatives."
The meeting was attended by Dr Khadka, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Narahari Acharya from the Nepali Congress and Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice Chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai represented the ruling parties. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara also briefly attended the meeting.
On the occasion, Finance Minister Adhikari had clarified that the budget does not intend to distribute such a large amount as compensation.
NC leaders asked the government to give continuity to the good programs initiated by the previous government including Garibsanga Bishweshwar, Madhya Pahadi Highway, postal roads in the tarai and fast track road linking the capital city with Bara district.
Talking to the media after the meeting, NC leader Dr Mahat said his party would not support new budget if it is brought with the objective to placate ruling party cadres and to achieve cheap popularity. "We will decide whether to protest the budget only after studying the content of the new budget," he added.
NC leaders said they have asked the government to bring the new budget in a way to promote the private sector, check capital flight, promote non-agricultural sectors and address power woes. They also suggested to the government to take measures through budget to check rising commodity prices and the all-pervasive corruption.
Finance Minister had mentioned during the meeting that the government was introducing a few mega irrigation projects and was setting up an energy company.
Talking to the media, the prime minister´s chief advisor Prakash Jwala said the government was preparing to bring new budget as a document of national consensus. He said the government has tried its best to incorporate the suggestions and demands of both the coalition partners and opposition parties.
Budget should address problems of the economy: President
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Adhikari on Monday evening has said the new budget should address the problems in the economy.
Minister Adhikari along with Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Banskota and other senior officials had reached the president´s residence to brief him about the new budget.
The deputy prime minster told the media after the meeting that the new budget is being brought through consensus with the main opposition NC and Madhes-based parties and it would focus on productive sectors.
Earlier, the prime minister also had briefed the president on the budget.
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