Capital expenditure increased by 60 per cent: FM Mahat

POKHARA:

Minister for Finance, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, has said that the capital expenditure of the country has increased by 60 per cent in five months period in the current fiscal year as compared to the last fiscal year.

At a press conference organised by Kaski chapter of the Nepal Press Union at Pokhara today, Finance Minister Mahat expressed worry over not stopping a trend of releasing budget after carrying out development works at the last hour of the fiscal year.

He also stressed on the need of decreasing the transportation fare immediately as the price of petroleum products has become cheaper and ending the syndicate system.

The Finance Minister said that it was a wrong trend of the UCPN (Maoist) as neither they were willing to forge consensus nor to go in voting process to resolve the disputed issues of a new constitution.

Stating that all preparations for the construction of international airport at Pokhara have been completed and the government was in preparation of singing agreement with China, Minister Mahat stressed on the need of finalizing the dispute over compensation through policy, law and rule.

He said, "Necessary process of the Seti Hydropower Project, going to be constructed in Tanahun, shall be forwarded immediately. Donors can be diverted if there will be dispute in process of construction at a time when the country is facing acute shortage of power."

Source: THT