KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress lawmaker Sandeep Rana has criticized the government’s budget, claiming that it primarily benefits large investors while overlooking small farmers, low-income groups, and the rural economy.
Speaking at a program in Kathmandu, Rana argued that the subsidy and investment provisions included in the budget remain beyond the reach of ordinary farmers and economically disadvantaged citizens.
He pointed to the government’s provision of a 40 percent subsidy for farmers investing Rs 20 million in agriculture, saying that most small-scale farmers in Nepal lack the financial capacity to make such investments.
“What has this budget offered to citizens who earn their livelihoods by collecting forest products such as mushrooms, taro, ginger, and other non-timber resources?” Rana questioned.
He said the budget lacks concrete programs targeted at communities in rural areas that depend on forest-based products and subsistence activities. According to him, despite a large portion of the population living on low incomes or below the poverty line, the budget fails to present a clear roadmap for improving their living standards.
While describing the provision of tax exemptions of up to Rs 1 million for startups as a positive step, Rana said the measure is unlikely to benefit unemployed youth in rural areas.
He noted that many young people are forced to seek employment abroad after struggling to secure even Rs 100,000 to Rs 200,000 in loans, adding that the budget does not include support programs tailored to their needs.
Rana argued that a concessional startup scheme providing up to Rs 500,000 for rural youth could have made a significant contribution to job creation.
He also stressed the need to reduce Nepal’s dependence on remittance-driven growth by increasing investment in tourism, agriculture, and productive sectors of the economy.
Referring to the government’s commitment to promoting green energy, Rana said the five percent tax imposed on electric vehicles could discourage businesses and undermine efforts to expand clean transportation.
Although the budget has been described as “golden” by the government, Rana concluded that its benefits are unlikely to reach poor households, farmers, and low-income communities in any meaningful way.
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