FNCCI: Do not make budget political tool

KATHMANDU, OCT 31 -

The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FNCCI ) has asked the political forces to forge consensus for full budget as soon as possible, warning that failure to do so would lead the country to a failed state.

The apex body of the private sector asked both the government and the opposition parties not to make budget a political tool. In a press statement released on Tuesday, the FNCCI urged all political forces to introduce budget as an all-party economic document in the current complex political situation. “We want that the political parties realise much-awaited consensus through generating consensus on presenting full budget ,” said FNCCI President Suraj Vaidya. The private sector had made effort to convince the political leadership for bringing full budget even in July but failed. Then the government had introduced one-third budget as a stop-gap measure as per the Article 96 of the interim constitution.

The FNCCI has also planned a mass awareness campaign about the importance of budget to exert pressure on the political leadership for introducing full budget . “Instead of relying on meeting with the top political leadership, we will go for mass mobilisation for budget this time,” said Vaidya. “We may go to an extent of not paying the taxes as there is no guarantee that tax we pay will be spent in proper places in the absence of budget .”

Stating that the government is the biggest producer, consumer and investors, the FNCCI stressed the need for bringing budget in order to give the economy mobility. 

Source: The Kathmandu Post