Budget discussions delayed as NPC yet to get complete shape

KATHMANDU, April 5:

While all the ministries have submitted their programs to the National Planning Commission (NPC) for preparation of the next fiscal year´s budget, the commission might take a few more days to actually start discussions on the programs as the commission is yet to get its vice chairman and other members.

With NPC yet to get full shape, it would be a difficult task for the government to bring the new budget by mid-June. The government is planning to submit budget in parliament for endorsement by mid-June this year.

The government is planning to bring an early budget so that it can implement its plans and programs effectively. “If we prepare the budget by mid-June, parliament would get adequate time for discussion,” Finance Secretary Shanta Raj Subedi quoted Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat as saying.

The finance ministry and NPC have been jointly working to bring an early budget. NPC approves plans and programs of concerned ministries after extensive discussions and forwards it to the finance ministry.

However, NPC secretariat is planning to discuss the budget from Sunday as scheduled. “We are planning to hold budget discussions from Sunday as scheduled earlier,” said NPC Secretary Yub Raj Bhusal. “Joint-secretaries of the NPC will hold the discussions with concerned ministries but finalize the budget only after appointment of vice chairman and members.”

NPC, which has prime minister as the chairman comprises a vice chairman and seven other members, is the body entrusted with formulating and supervising implementation of the government´s long-term and mid-term plans.  

“MoF is holding budget discussions with line ministries from April 21 and we are hopeful that the NPC would complete its task soon,” Baikuntha Aryal, chief of the Budget Division under MOF said. Line ministries have already submitted their plans and programs through Line Ministry Budget Information system (LMBIS). NPC has set Rs 596 billion ceiling for the next year´s budget.    

Five in race for NPC vice chairman

Five candidates are vying for the post of vice chairman of the National Planning Commission. They are Puskar Bajracharya, Posh Raj Pandey, Tilak Rawal, Tirth Khaniya and Bimal Koirala. The government has also approached Dr Bishwambhar Pyakurel, but he declined the offer. “I´ve declined the offer due to personal reasons,” Pyakurel said.
The government will finalize the name of vice-chairman and seven other members by Thursday, according to Minister for Information and Communications Dr Minendra Rijal.

Source: Republica