Govt focuses on luxury than providing relief: NC leader Dr. Rijal

KATHMANDU: Lawmaker of the main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) Dr. Minendra Rijal said that the government has gone against the expectations of the people.

Taking part in the deliberations over the Appropriation Bill during the session, he said the government’s work was more focused on luxury than providing relief to the victims of the COVID-19.

Referring to the news of changing carpets in the President’s Office, he said that the government is arranging the carpets at the time when it needed to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

He added he saw no alternative for political parties to stand together to fulfill responsibilities to the people.

Accusing the government’s failure to mitigate the impact of coronavirus pandemic, he proposed for collective efforts and mutual collaboration in the present situation in the country.

“I again say- let’s stand together, let’s work together.” As he said, time demands political parties to make the national resolution.

The NC lawmaker presented the proposal for deducting expenditure in the bill and claimed the government lacked capacity and plans for capital expenditure. He proposed to reduce the current expenditure of the Finance Ministry from Rs 25 billion to Rs eight billion.

He went on to say that the budget for the upcoming fiscal year could not provide relief to the people. The government ignored the idea of a complimentary budget.

”There is likely of 20 percent fall in remittance when the nation’s economy is shrinking,” he said, expressing his concern over the probability of a five percent reduction in spendable income.

When the estimation of revenue collection until the end of the current fiscal year remains uncertain, it keeps no meaning to announce the budget for the next year, according to the NC leader.

Dr. Rijal further reminded that past examples have substantiated the fact that the government had no capacity to complete the national pride projects.

“We have a situation that it would need Rs 10 to 12 billion in the next one and half months to fight the COVID-19.

So, the budget should be focused on the health sector,” he underscored.