24 jestha, kathmandu: In a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) spoke for the need of all parties coming together and making a national resolution to fulfill responsibilities towards the people.
Taking part in the deliberations over the Appropriation Bill during the session, NC leader Dr Minendra Prasad Rijal said 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 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 nation’s economy is shrinking,” he said, expressing his concern over the probability of five percent reduction in spendable income. When the estimation of revenue collection till the end of 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 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 month to fight the COVID-19. So, budget should be focused on health sector,” he underscored. Similarly, lawmaker of Rastriya Janamorcha, Durga Poudel, proposed for the curtailment of expanse and expressed worry over scattered allocation of budget rather than balanced and decentralized ones.
Poudel further demanded with the government that it brought concrete policy to restore industry, trade and conservation to make the country self-reliant. According to her, additional preparation was imperative to cope up the COVID-19 crisis. Repeal MCC Nepal Workers and Peasants Party’s lawmaker Prem Suwal demanded the immediate cancellation of the MCC compact made with the US government. The workers and peasants suffering worst in the COVID-19 need to the provided compensation and Bhaktapur district declared the cultural city. Social Party’s lawmaker Pradip Yadav presented a proposal on curtailment of expense mentioned for the coming fiscal year. He however demanded increase of Rs 2 billion as grant to State-2.
