Dr Khatiwada hints at lockdown extension, next FY 2077/78 budget in two phases, short-term and mid-term

The government would take decision on the matter of lifting or extending the lockdown imposed by the government against coronavirus after reviewing necessary concerns, including the successes related to the virus achieved by neighbouring India.

Hinting at the extension of lockdown, government's spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada stressed the need for analyzing the current situation of the country against the infection.

Minister Dr Khatiwada was sharing decisions taken by the Cabinet at a press conference at Singha Durbar on Thursday. "Matters like medical appliances, technology and health workers, situation of infection, necessary infrastructures and people's awareness, discipline and social distancing should be taken into account before lifting lockdown. Only then lockdown could be removed," he said.

"Saving people's lives is first priority. We could later redeem losses on economy and other areas caused by the infection. Lockdown could be extended if need be." However, the government was mindful of easing lockdown in view of supplying minimum daily essentials when it prolongs, he said.

The government imposed lockdown across the country one month ago over COVID-19.

Next FY budget in two phases

The government is set to bring policies, programmes and budget of the next fiscal year, 2077/78 in two phases, short-term and mid-term, over coronavirus outbreaks, said Dr Khatiwada, also Finance Minister.

The government has prioritized plans to ease life of people and increase production and supply of essentials at this time of coronavirus crisis, he said. Referring to challenges facing the country and sectors like industries, trade, tourism badly affected by lockdown, he said, "We would address these challenges through the next FY's policies, programmes and budget. These problems will be sorted out through the next Cabinet meeting if any of them has to be addressed immediately."

Generally, the government is slated to bring budget in the second week of the Nepali month of Jestha as per the Constitution.

Pointing out the need of additional resources to implement the government initiative to bring back COVID-battered economic to normalcy, he admitted that there was no adequate discussion and debate on the present vulnerable situation.

Dr Khatiwada further said that the finance ministry employees have engrossed their efforts in preparing the budget risking their lives amidst the fear of coronavirus infection.

Informing that the government is planning to work in two phases, he said first measure is how to address the immediate effects of COVID-19 through the government-initiated preventive measures and secondly the debate was created as to what type of budget to be brought keeping in the mind the global recession.

The prolonging of lockdown in the context of the global forecast that only some countries would have economic growth rate above 2 percent would take toll on the economic situation of the country, he noted, adding there is a compulsion to gradually adjust the programmes.

Meanwhile, Dr Khatiwada shared the cabinet decisions on the occasion. An approval has been given to present in the parliament the bill prepared by the Ministry of Energy, Hydropower and Irrigation to amend the law related to electricity. Likewise, consent was principally granted to frame a bill on amending and integrating road board.

He also shared that a decision was made to deploy teams from Survey Office for carrying out land survey in Nawalparasi Bardaghat Susta West, Dang, Mustang and Kavrepalanchowk as per the proposal of the Ministry of Land Management. The cabinet also decided to designate Assistant Chief District Officer of all 77 districts to investigate the cases to be determined as offense under the Public Health Service Act-2075 BS.

Similarly, the cabinet decided to form and authorize a dialogue team and to accept one million US Dollar loan from the World Bank as per the proposal put forth by the Finance Ministry.

The government has decided to approve the Federal Affairs and General Administration's proposal on organogram of Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and the Office of Attorney General. It also approved the connection of energy generated from Likhu-4 hydropower project to sub-station and the use of seven community forests of Ramechhap and Dolakha for this.

The cabinet has extended time for a month to the high-level probe commission related to the Nepal Bal Sangathan and Balmandir for the completion of the task given as proposed by Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen.

He also said that ordinances framed to amend the Political Party Act and Constitutional Council Act were already made public.