Budget FY 2015/16: People's reaction

While Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat was presenting this year's speech on Tuesday afternoon, Urishna Shakya of Republica reached out to the people from various walks of life to access their opinion and expectation from this year's budget. Excerpts:

Roshan KC, salesman

I know the budget speech is being delivered but I'm not much aware about issues related to it. I'm a business student and political issues are not my cup of tea. But, your question has definitely made me interested in knowing more about it - I am thinking of listening to this year's budget speech.

As a general observer I think that presently our country needs to address issues that have come forth in the aftermath of the recent earthquakes. We survived a huge natural disaster and during this struggle to return to normal life I felt that little help came from the government. So far the supposedly- responsible personnel have been unable to make good use of the budget. They are too laid back to execute their responsibilities, but hopefully things will change for the better now.

Rajani Lama,Shop owner, Bhotebahal

Yes, I know about today's budget presentation. I dislike how prices hike up suddenly after the budget. Budget presentation always provides golden chance to whole-sellers, who wait for sky-rocketing the prices after the budget and earn unlawfully. The roads that are made this year appear to have pot-holes everywhere by next year. It's not that the government doesn't do anything at all. The problem is with the sustainability of its endeavors. Nothing last as expected, just like our political system.

Additional to these general problems, there are many issues that have come to the front in the aftermath of the quake. House rent has almost doubled and forced people to return back to their unlivable houses. Food prices have soared high. School fees are simply overwhelming as they have piled up during these three months after the quake. Education is not something that should not be meant for profit.

Manju Neupane,business-woman

Yes, I know the budget speech is being delivered today. But frankly speaking, I don't have any expectations from the government at all. If you ask, I cannot even give you a single example of a good work done by the government. Talking about the budget, I feel the impact is only upon those who hold a government job.

People like us who depend on our hands and toils to earn a living, only suffer negatively after every budget comes through. The prices hike up so badly we cannot even get our supplies in time. And it is so difficult to explain the price hikes to our customers. But those in the public service do always get a hike in their salary. I wish the government would do something about us as well. But if the government continues neglecting the plight of the common people, I think my hatred against the country's leaders will continue increasing.

Meli Puri,Jorpati

The only aspect I know about the budget is that the government increases prices every year and makes it even more difficult for us to do business. Bigger businesses are not affected much. But small business owners like us are badly affected. Budget is beneficial to only those who are involved in public sectors.

I don't think the new budget brings happiness to my life. I had to work for fulfilling my family and I still continue to do that. I only can wish the government would keep the prices reasonable so that we business-men and women can also retain our profits, while they get increased salary.

The government should focus not focus only on a specific group of people. It should address issues faced by the people belonging to every class.

Kshetra Bahadur Bhandari,Kavre, Simthali

Yes, I am aware of the new budget speech. If I were to wish anything, I would wish for the goodwill of everyone. If all Nepalese' problems would be solved, that would automatically give me happiness. The government has not been able to address general problems like hike in commodity prices.

I don't know when special problems of people like me will be heard and solved. It's been more than 11years since I became handicapped after an accident. So far, I haven't received any special compensation from the government. This wheel-chair was provided to me by an US INGO.

I've been selling all newspapers and making a living out of it. The government takes immediate action for addressing issues that could make the countrymen happier.

Santaraj Adhikari,Book-seller

There are certain good things that the government has done like the increment of senior citizen allowance. This will provide them with means to fulfill their pressing needs. As any other layman, I also see the government lagging behind in crucial sectors like education and health. Poor people are still dying of diarrhea in some places of the country. There are rumors of education fees lowering but in fact it's ever increasing and now education has been massively commercialized.

Public education institutions provide poor quality education and private institutions are extremely unaffordable. This has deprived students of lower economic backgrounds from quality education. Half of our problems will be automatically resolved if the allocated budget for various sectors is implemented appropriately.

Actually, the biggest problem is that the persons who are supposed to take care of the country are busy fighting for personal benefits. Political parties lack consensus and commitment towards national development. In such scenario, how can the nation develop?

Source: Republica