Parties agree to bring in partial budget
KATHMANDU, JUL 11
An all-party talks convened by UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Puhspa Kamal Dahal has reached an understanding to bring out a partial budget.
However, the parties have yet to agree on whether to bring out an advance budget so as to meet the regular government expenses or to bring out one-third of the total estimated budget for the coming fiscal year.
The ruling UCPN (Maoist), which was pushing for bringing a full-fledged budget, had to settled for a partial budget due to pressure from the opposition parties.
The meeting was held at CA Hall in Naya Baneshwor, Kathmandu, to seek ways to end the current political deadlock over the annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The parties have agreed to sit for another round of talks on Wednesday.
At the meeting, the alliance of opposition parties including Nepal Congress and CPN-UML were seen in favour of bringing out a one-third budget so as to meet the expenses for running daily government administration.
On the other hand, the UCPN (Maoist) expressed its desire to incorporate the expenses for Constituent Assembly elections and army integration process in the budget.
“Maoist Chairman has agreed to bring in partial budget, but we are yet to arrive at consensus on the exact size of the budget,” said NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula after the meeting.
Along with CPN-Maoist that broke away from the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and CPN-UM L among other constituent parties of the alliance of opposition bench marked their presence at the meeting.
Even though the Maoists proposed bringing a complete budget, the parties eventually agreed to bring out a partial budget.
Earlier in the day, NC and UML among other parties did not turn up for an all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. The NC and UML had decided not to attend any talks called by the government, saying that the current government with caretaker status doesn’t have the authority to bring out a full-fledged budget.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
