Budget 2081/82: Even Ruling Parties and Prime Minister Dissatisfied

In the past, it was customary for the ruling party to commend the government’s budget while the opposition routinely disparaged it. This ritual persisted over the years without much deviation. However, the budget proposed for the forthcoming fiscal year 2081/82 has sparked widespread criticism from all quarters.

The only vocal defender of this budget proposed by the government is Finance Minister Barshaman Pun himself.  This unexpected turn of events has raised significant questions. Why has the ruling party, traditionally a staunch supporter of the government’s fiscal plans, chosen to criticize this budget? Furthermore, what prompted the prime minister to openly express dissatisfaction with it?

After the budget is presented in Parliament, Finance Minister Pun has consistently stated that this year, there has been no criticism from either the political side or the private sector, unlike the previous year.

Criticism of the budget is underway even from within the ranks of ruling party MPs, despite its introduction three weeks ago. In recent parliamentary sessions, MPs have voiced concerns, stating that the allocations were unbalanced, with priorities concentrated in only one or two districts.

In the past week, the House of Representatives convened for four days, while the National Assembly met for one day. Heated discussions ensued during these sessions, where various issues concerning the public were prominently raised. It was observed that proactive parliamentarians also proposed solutions.

During the debates, diverse opinions were expressed regarding the annual development programs of three ministries. Issues such as inefficiencies in allocation, budget distribution influenced by political power and accessibility, allocation without considering actual needs, and instances of financial discipline breaches by allocating substantial funds across various topics were discussed. Moreover, concerns were raised about the proliferation of fragmented projects initiated by the federal government.

Concerns include that some ministers in the government have received substantial budgets for their constituencies, while critical areas remain underfunded; that the budget allocation appears random without proper resource estimation; that the government’s own project classification criteria contradict those of 2080; and that even minor projects have been included in the federal budget.

In the same way, the budget was allocated based on power and access, numerous fragmented projects were included in the budget, and the allocation of funds to projects lacked prioritization, according to members of parliament.

During the discussion on various topics of the Appropriation Bill in the meeting on June 18, Rajendra Prasad Lingden, Chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Member of the House of Representatives, expressed his displeasure by tearing up the annual development program booklet of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport for the coming financial year.

Congress MP Dilendra Prasad Badu observed silence in the Rostrum. MP Gyan Bahadur Shahi stated that Karnali was neglected in the budget, while MP Tejulal Chaudhary criticized the absence of any development plans for his constituency and returned the red book to the government through the speaker.

There has been strong opposition not only from the opposition but also from within the ruling party regarding the budget and annual development program. Many MPs expressed their dissatisfaction with the budget and annual development program proposed by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport for the upcoming financial year.

UML MP Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri criticized the budget, saying, “There is no balance in the budget. It doesn’t cater to actual needs. The partiality is evident, and it seems to favor ministers.” Gokul Prasad Baskota, another UML MP, remarked that the budget is chaotic, asserting that allocations were made based on influence and power.

Ruling Maoist MP Sudan Kirati also condemned the budget, arguing that it goes against the principles of federalism and lacks balance. Shishir Khanal, an MP of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party, voiced concern in parliament, describing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year as reminiscent of neo-feudalism.

MPs have also expressed dissatisfaction with the budget allocation of other ministries. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal acknowledged that the budget did not meet his expectations when addressing the MPs. This dissatisfaction from the Prime Minister himself has also led to questioning the implementation of the budget.