KATHMANDU, Dec 19: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said that the present imbroglio would be put to an end through political consensus and collaboration. 

At a discussion organized here on Monday by the Ministry of Finance with the development partners, DPM Mahara urged them not to harbor any doubt on the unity and solidarity of the political parties. 

Expressing the government's commitment to support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission on Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), Mahara pledged to not leave any stone unturned to enable investment-friendly environment in the country. 

He said that the country's development is possible only through investment from the private sector. 

DPM Mahara also expressed the government's commitment to encourage privatization, enable environment for elections, amend constitution to ensure its effective implementation and expedite the post-quake reconstruction task. 

The meeting was attended by the representatives of donor community including Asian Development Bank, World Bank, World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund, International Labor Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), European Union and United Nations Development Program. 

On the occasion, representatives of the donor agencies suggested Finance Minister Mahara to focus on holding local body election, creating environment for spurring capital spending and rebuilding schools and health posts under post-quake reconstruction. 

Asian Development Bank Chief Kenichi Yokohama stressed the need for holding local body election on political consensus while drawing the attention towards delay in post-earthquake reconstruction. 

Also speaking on the occasion, Gel Marchetti of DFID and Takuya Tamata of the World Bank expressed concern over slow pace of capital spending and ineffective monitoring and evaluation of national pride projects. 

Finance Secretary Shanta Raj Subedi said that the capital expenditure was being delayed due to bottlenecks of Procurement Act. 

In the first four months of the current fiscal year, the government has only spent 8 % of the total budget. 

Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Dr Chiranjibi Nepal said the foreign trade deficit trade was increasing to an alarming level despite satisfactory situation on other indicators such as balance of payment, remittance flow and agriculture outputs. 

National Planning Commission Vice-Chairperson Min Bahadur Shrestha said that the 14th five-year plan has come into implementation. 

Chief Executive Officer of National Reconstruction Authority Sushil Gyawali informed that the government has provided grant of first tranche for the construction of around 10,000 private houses in quake-hit 11 districts. RSS 

 
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