KATHMANDU: The government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has regressed in the preparation of the annual budget.
The Nepali Congress-UML coalition government has taken a step backward by restricting elected representatives’ participation in discussions on the annual budget — the financial policy adopted by the state for the fiscal year.
The previous government had aimed to ensure that the pre-budget discussions were completed by the Nepali month of Chaitra, allowing sufficient time for elected representatives to engage and prepare for the new fiscal year.
In line with this, the government led by then-Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal concluded the pre-budget discussions for the current fiscal year during the first week of Chaitra. These discussions focused on the principles and priorities of the proposed budget.
The constitution mandates that the country’s annual budget be presented by the Nepali month of Jestha 15. To facilitate this, the government had introduced an ordinance on financial procedures and fiscal responsibility, which required pre-budget discussions to be held in Parliament three months before the budget is presented.
In the previous government, Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat presented the principles and priorities of the budget to the lower house of Parliament (House of Representatives) on Falgun 15.
However, the current government, despite its participation from the Congress, has regressed in its approach to pre-budget discussions.
The Oli-led government seems set to revive the old practice of hastily presenting the principles and priorities of the budget in Parliament, keeping the ‘document’ for discussion only to formalize it, and bringing the budget without addressing the legitimate demands of elected representatives. If this practice continues, the pre-budget discussion will likely be concluded by mid-Baisakh.
The current government, which initially planned to hold pre-budget discussions a month before the budget announcement, has now shifted its approach. On Magh 2, the government announced that pre-budget discussions would be completed a month before the budget presentation, in accordance with an ordinance on financial procedures and fiscal responsibility.
However, the replacement bill for this ordinance has changed the requirement for pre-budget discussions, limiting them to 15 days before the government presents the budget. Instead of holding discussions on Falgun 15 or Baisakh 15, the government now plans to present the principles and priorities of the budget to Parliament on Jestha 1.
The Oli government is preparing to present a budget centered on its political and personal interests by holding rushed discussions within a few days. The Finance Minister in this Oli-led government is Bishna Prasad Poudel, Vice-Chairman of the UML.
The latest ordinance replacement bill has been passed by the House of Representatives and is now in the National Assembly. If the National Assembly approves it, the government will be free to bring its budget with minimal discussion, in line with its political agenda.
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