Parliament starts budget discussions

<p>Discussions on the budget for fiscal year 2073/74 BS have begun in the Legislature-Parliament from today. <br><br>Speaking at the meeting, former Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said that the budget was issued violating fiscal discipline. He added that internal revenue cannot bear the development expenditure. <br><br>Mahat also said that economic crisis may occur as the development expenditure in the budget is less than the general expenditure. It might trigger a price hike, he argued.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>Adding the social security allowance is positive but it needs effective mechanism for its implementation, Mahat said. &nbsp;<br><br>On the other hand, former Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari said that the budget has allocated adequate funds for completing the post-quake reconstruction by three years and increasing the budget in the energy sector is positive side of the budget.</p><p>He added that linking road networks in each village, doubling the social security allowance and budget for local bodies were guided by the ' welfare state' concept. &nbsp;<br>He also suggested forming a monitoring committee under chairmanship of Prime Minister to implement the budget effectively. <br><br>Likewise, Dhani Ram Poudel of the UCPN (Maoist) believed that the budget, the first of its kind after the promulgation of the constitution, will serve as a milestone in the implementation of the constitution. <br><br>He also noted that the budget fails to increase the size of budgetary allocation for the April 25 earthquake survivors, while suggesting strengthening bureaucracy to enforce it. &nbsp;<br>Similarly, Dilnath Giri of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal criticised the budget for failing to release the budget to make barren land arable. <br><br>The next meeting has been scheduled for 11:00 am tomorrow.<br><br></p>