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Speaker for slashing budget debate time
KATHMANDU, NOV 19 - Speaker Subas Nembang on Thursday citing the urgent need to pass the budget from parliament proposed that discussion hour for the current budget be slashed to two to three days.
He presented his proposal before the Business Advisory Committee of the Legislature Parliament. “Due to the ongoing political impasse, we don’t have sufficient time to debate the budget,” said Speaker Nembang during the meeting of the mechanism representing all parties in the parliament.
“I propose we should complete the procedure by having budget discussion for two days minimum and three days maximum.”
Earlier, 23 days were allocated for budget discussion in parliament, of which the appropriation of at least 16 ministries is yet to be completed and the concerned
ministers are yet to present their replies on the questions raised by lawmakers.
Speaking at the meeting after the Speaker, Finance Minister Surendra Pandey urged political parties to ensure that the budget is endorsed by parliament within a day. He briefed the committee about the financial crisis faced by the government and said there is a real threat of state collapse, increase in cost of production and low revenue collection among others due to delay in passing the budget.
During the discussion, UCPN (Maoist) chief whip Post Bahadur Bogati said his party doesn’t have any objection to passing the budget but the issue of civil supremacy raised by the party should be addressed for resuming the House session.
Nepali Congress Chief Whip Laxman Prasad Ghimire said Maoists should not use the delay in budget endorsement as a bargaining chip and should let parliament function because the government can’t isolate the Maoists as two-third majority is needed to draft the constitution.
CPN-UML leader Pradeep Gyawali said, the country should not suffer if the Singapore shopping spre of top brass of Maoists and Congress fail to produce results
in a day or two.
He urged the Maoists to allow the House to function from its side, even if some additional time is needed for discussion.
The committee failed to take a decision on Thursday because some leaders are yet to present their opinions. The next meeting is slated for Sunday morning at the parliament building.
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