KATHMANDU: Senior economist and former member of National Planning Commission (NPC) Prof Dr. Govind Nepal said that the budget has followed primarily the political-economic approach.

“It has attempted to translate the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution into the economic programs,” he said, adding that however, achieving the growth rate of 8.5 percent seems challenging.

According to him, the budget has focused mainly on social securities, infrastructural development, and mainly on the implementation aspects of the projects.

He, however, said that the growth rate target seems below the rate projected by the 15th plan.

The share of foreign assistance in total resources envelop seems relatively higher than the previous years, which seems more challenging to realize, he said.

Meanwhile, senior economist at the Institute for Strategic and Socio-economic Research (ISSR) Dr. Dadhi Adhikari said that the government seems loyal in the revenue collection.

“However, the government cannot meet the estimated growth rate”, he said adding that reviewing the recurrent and capital expenditure, the government should depend on grant and loan.

He shared that last year the government had received only 100 billion of total estimated grants and loans.

This is another edition of ‘populist’ budget of the government, he remarked.