Following a discussion with the officials of the MoLD on Thursday, the committee concluded that the customary practice of increasing budget of each ministry by 10 percent would not make the plans and programs of the ministry effective.The government has allocated Rs 5.43 billion budget to the ministry which is running seven subsidy programs for farmers. The ministry has set a target to make the country self reliant on eggs within a year, meat products in two years and milk in three years.
MoLD was separated from Ministry of Agricultural Development by the current KP Oli-led government in December last year.
The parliamentary committee has also taken exception over the government's decision to create new ministry. It has also instructed the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to inform the panel about the rationale behind creating a new ministry.
"The members of the parliament questioned the rationale behind forming Ministry of Livestock Development at a time when the new constitution has envisioned only 25 ministries and by ignoring the suggestions given by the Administrative Reform Commission and this committee to merge the ministries with similar jurisdictions for effective functioning," reads the decision taken by the parliamentary panel.
The committee also said that its attention was drawn toward lack of coordination and facilitation between Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD) and MoLD which has also hampered activities of the latter. "The committee has decided to draw attention of the Prime Minister to take necessary initiatives to foster better coordination and collaboration between the two ministries," reads the decision.
MoLD is at loggerheads with MoAD over who should implement subsidy program on fisheries and horticulture after the former kept these subsidy programs under its jurisdiction.
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