He also said that the government will come up with a system and procedures to ensure smooth supply of oil and other daily consumer goods.[break]
"We will announce, tomorrow (Wednesday), programs for overall economic relief that comprise a system for ensuring smooth supply of consumer goods which are curremtly in shortage in the market," the prime minister said at a press meet organized in Tansen, Tuesday by the Palpa chapter of the Federation of Nepali Journalists.
"The government decision to hike the price of petroleum products has been protested by various sections of society and we are mulling addressing that as well." He did not elaborate how the government was going to respond to the voices against the price hike.
He was, however, quick to add that it was the government´s compulsion, not choice, to hike the prices. "The government is compelled to increase the price of petroleum products solely due to price inflation in the international market," the prime minister said.
Stating that the suppliers were creating an artificial scarcity, he vowed to take stringent action against those involved in such activities.
"Just today (Tuesday), I called a meeting of the officials concerned and instructed them to bring to book those involved in creating artificial scarcities," added the prime minister. He said the government will start taking action against the guilty right from Wednesday.
"The government is providing 1.75 billion rupees to Nepal Oil Corporation each year as a grant," he said. "We can save around 700 million rupees out of that every month and we want to invest the money in education, health and relief programs in the remote parts of the country."
Claiming that the government was serious about providing relief to the people, he said the government was still subsidizing diesel at the rate of Rs 12 rupees per liter.
On the political front, the prime minister claimed that his government will be given the form of a national unity government, adding that even the other parties were not prepared to change government leaders.
"Leaders from other parties know very well that the tasks of constitution writing and peace can´t be accomplished if the parties indulge in toppling the government and forming a new one," Bhattarai argued. "We´ll be able to make a breakthrough in the present stalemate as serious negotiations have taken place in recent days."
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