KATHMANDU: The ruling party has supported the budget presented today at the federal parliament noting that it has incorporated progressive programs to render relief to the people hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the opposition has commented that the budget has presented evidences of the weaknesses and incompetencies of the government.
Ruling Nepal Communist Party chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ termed that the budget has come in a very balanced way to relieve pandemic-battered people.
“The government budget is constructive, progressive, pro-people and socialism-oriented. It is appreciative since the budget has attempted to give respite mainly to the low-income people”.
NCP’s senior leader and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal also commented the budget to be time-relevant.
Nevertheless, leader of the main opposition Nepali Congress Dr Minendra Rijal said the budget has failed to identify the needs and determine the priorities while terming it a document showcasing evidences of government’s incompetency.
“The robust government with two-third majority could not come up with new vision in formulating budget especially in the special circumstance and adversity”, he noted.
Chairperson of Socialist Party Federal Council and former Prime Minster Dr Baburam Bhatarai said the budget has not come forward with the reforms frameworks for the implementation of budget.
“The budget should be formulated in a specialized manner so as to address the current situation but it did not bring any noble solutions to the problems”.
Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa said the government’s resolution and plan to raise revenue and spending are not realistic.
“The budget was brought in a way that the country would totally get liberated from the COVID-19 within two-three months which is not possible”.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Rajendra Lingden said the budget based on estimations, foreign aids and external debt would face myriads of challenges in implementation.
Rastriya Janata Party’s leader Laxman Lal Karna also echoed potential challenges in the execution of well-framed policy and programmes and budgets in absence of concrete bases for implementation.
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