A parliamentary party meeting of the NC held at Singha Durbar on Friday decided to protest the budget arguing that the government´s plan to bring early budget is actuated by various ill-intentions.[break]
The NC´s decision comes a day after 12 opposition parties, including the NC, submitted a memorandum separately to Speaker Subas Nembang and Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal against the budget. The government has already summoned the budget session for the new fiscal year 2011/12 for May 2.
Addressing the parliamentary party meeting, NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat explained why they should oppose the government´s plan to introduce new budget in the first week of May as against the long standing tradition of tabling it at the end of an ongoing fiscal year in mid-July. Dr Mahat argued that the early budget not only sidelines the tasks of peace process and constitution-drafting but also smacks of an ill-intention to make policy-level arrangement to waive fine against business entrepreneurs who evaded tax through forged VAT bills.
“There is no point in supporting the early budget as there could be a change in political situation after the term of Constituent Assembly expires,” a lawmaker quoted Dr Mahat as saying.
Among other things, NC has apprehension that the new budget will disburse a significant chunk of government funds in the name of cooperatives to benefit party cadres. “We could have considered supporting the budget if the country was on the brink of economic crisis. But there is no such risk at the moment and there is still two-and-a-half-month for the current fiscal year to expire,” the lawmaker quoted Dr Mahat as saying further.
NC lawmaker Dr Narayan Khadka said they would not support the early budget as they have serious doubt whether it would maintain fiscal discipline. “The government must first consult opposition parties before bringing a new budget. However, the current government announced the early budget without consulting any of us,” he added.
Khadka said that the government´s announcement vindicated the suspicions that arose after the sudden resignation of Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal expressing his dissatisfaction over the government´s preparation of supplementary budget outside the ministry.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, NC Parliamentary Party Spokesperson Nabindra Raj Joshi said the party would protest the budget if it is brought without consensus with NC.
Among other things, the meeting also urged the government ensure smooth supply of petroleum products as early as possible. The meeting also decided to form separate committees comprising of the party´s lawmakers to watch over the activities of different ministries of the government.
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