KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said that sectoral budget allocations and programs have been designed with priority given to regions that remain behind in economic, social, and human development, including Karnali Province, Madhesh Province, and Sudurpashchim Province.
Responding to questions raised during discussions on the budget allocation for the Ministry of Finance under the Appropriation Bill, 2083 in the House of Representatives, Wagle said that subsidies provided to farmers for fertilizer, seeds, irrigation, and agricultural value chains are expected to support the upliftment of targeted communities.
He also stated that the budget has doubled the nutrition allowance for Dalit children and clarified that no existing social security programs have been reduced.
“All previous programs introduced in the name of poverty reduction remain in place. I want to address concerns that pro-poor programs have been cut,” he said. “We have accepted the reality that poverty cannot be reduced sustainably through cash distribution alone. The goal of the budget is not to keep people dependent on assistance but to help them reach a position where they can generate income.”
Wagle further said the government has adopted strategies focused on agricultural modernization, irrigation, agricultural insurance, worker protection, skills development, industrial promotion, the digital economy, and employment generation through private investment.
He added that permanent income and employment remain the most effective ways to reduce poverty and stressed that job creation would not be possible without improving private sector confidence, which the budget aims to support.
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