“The document tabled by Finance Minister in the parliament has set too many priorities. This has diluted the fiscal focus,” said Surendra Pandey, former finance minister and lawmaker from CPN-UML.[break]
All the parliamentarians were unanimous that budget should foster job creation. Pandey advised the government to focus on industrial sector, while former finance minister from UCPN (Maoist) Dr Baburam Bhattarai asked the government to prioritize agriculture and agro-based industries at the top.
“Agriculture must get foremost priority, as commercialization of livestock, fruits, vegetables, dairies, herbs and timber products can not only create rural employment but also help cut imports, improve balance of payment situation,” said Dr Bhattarai.
Referring to meat, food, and edible oil that Nepal imports, Dr Bhattarai and other lawmakers said it was shameful that Nepal despite being an agrarian economy was meeting its requirements for basic food and agro-products through imports.
They endorsed Finance Minister´s commitment to harness energy, create investment climate, and ensure social justice.
“The budget should give emphasis on energy, particularly as long-running power deficit has jeopardized industrial growth,” said Dr Bhattarai.
Pandey urged the government to come up with programs that address woes of the industrial sector. “This is crucial to rejuvenate revenue potential. Otherwise, the current gloom, which has already dragged revenue collections down (than what was targeted), could affect future revenue collections as well, affecting the government´s sources of fund,” he said.
Apart from giving boost to agro and industrial production, the lawmakers urged the government to speed up infrastructure development, particularly Mid-Hills Highway, Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track, second international airport, irrigation projects, and roads that connect rural farms with the market.
Dr Bhattarai demanded the government to come up with National Infrastructure Development Master Plan and give special focus on development of Lumbini for the development of tourism.
“We have long promoted Nepal with Mount Everest, but failed to tap similar potentials of Lord Buddha´s birthplace,” said Dr Bhattarai. He even advised the government to establish Kathmandu Valley Development Authority to pursue integrated development and deliver basic services in the three districts of the Valley.
On the first day of the three-day pre-budget discussions, lawmakers dwelt little on the social sector. Pandey laid emphasis on development of human resources through increase in investment in education and health.
Lawmakers from the Nepali Congress (NC), meanwhile, urged the government to hold consultations on the programs in the budget with major political parties.
“It has so far committed for consultations, but that has not been held so far,” said Narayan Khadka. In the same note, Narahari Acharya of NC cautioned the government to avoid ´distributive´ budget, even while endorsing plans that emphasize on infrastructure, power, industrial and agricultural development.
Similarly, Bijay Paudel of CPN-UML laid emphasis on promoting cooperative sector.
´Hike Salary´
Lawmakers in the parliament on Friday urged the government to raise the salary of civil servants. “Salary has not been adjusted for the last two years. The government should raise it this year,” said Surendra Pandey of CPN-UML.
Dr Baburam Bhattarai of UCPN (Maoist) also supported him. “There is a need to strictly control corruption. But it is also true that government employees are highly under-paid. Hence, the government must raise their salary,” he said.
Dr Bhattarai even viewed that the salary of government secretaries should be raised to at least Rs 50,000 a month. “Minimum salary in civil service too should be raise to Rs 15,000 a month,” said he. Even while pressing for the salary hike, he pushed the government to adopt reward-and-punishment policy.
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