KATHMANDU, Nov 22: Prime Minister KP Oli has expressed unhappiness over the failure of ministries to spend budget in the first quarter of the fiscal year. 

During a meeting with ministers and secretaries on Wednesday, the prime minister also expressed dissatisfaction over the working style of the officials, according to a statement issued by the prime minister’s secretariat. “It takes several days to move a file from one table to another and months to transfer the file from one ministry to another even within Singha Durbar. How can we move forward with such approach?” the statement quoted Oli as saying.

Ministers and secretaries from the physical infrastructure, energy, urban development, agriculture, industry and commerce were summoned for a review meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Wednesday. 

After briefings by secretaries of various ministries and National Reconstruction Authority, Oli directed the ministers and secretaries to meet the spending target by the next quarter, Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada informed. Average capital expenditure was about 18 to 19 percent during the first quarter, Khatiwada said. 

The prime minister warned the officials not to make any excuses for their failure to implement the budget. “I want tangible results,” Oli said. 

Stating that he will not tolerate any kind of dillydallying anymore, Oli asked the ministers and secretaries to share with him if any minister, secretary or law stands in the way of budget implementation. He was of the views that it would be dangerous if people get frustrated with the government.

According to his secretariat, Prime Minister Oli will continue meeting more ministers and secretaries on Thursday. The PMO has developed a web-based performance evaluation mechanism to evaluate the work of the ministries, according to the secretariat.

 
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