Government Policy and Program Presented in Federal Parliament

Kathmandu. The government's policy and program are to be presented in the Federal Parliament today. The agenda for today's joint session of the Federal Parliament includes President Ram Chandra Paudel presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2083/84.< p>

Every year, before the budget, governments present their policy and program. Based on this document prepared by the Prime Minister's Office, the government carries out legal and economic management tasks.< /p>

This also provides important guidance to the budget presented on Jestha 15. Therefore, it is considered an important document. In the past, discussions on the policy and program in parliament have also been significant.< /p>

This time, although the policy and program will be presented in parliament, the MPs will not be able to discuss it adequately. While previous policy and program discussions used to last at least 4-5 days, the discussion for this policy and program has been limited to one day. According to the schedule set by the parliament, MPs will be given one day to study the policy and program to be presented on Monday. The program includes discussing it, providing responses, and passing it in the meeting to be held on Wednesday.< /p>

• Why was the discussion time shortened?

Federal Parliament Spokesperson Ekram Giri states that the discussion time on the policy and program in parliament has been reduced due to a lack of time. He says that the time for discussing the policy and program has been shortened because the government has to present the principles and priorities of the appropriation bill, known as the pre-budget, by the 31st.< /p>

'The Economic Procedure and Financial Accountability Act mandates that the principles and priorities of the appropriation bill be presented at least 15 days before the budget is presented,' says Spokesperson Giri. 'This means it must be presented by the 31st, so the schedule has been made to conclude the discussion on the policy and program by Jestha 30.'< /p>

However, there was no need to shorten the discussion time on the policy and program based on this. This is because there is no provision that the pre-budget discussion cannot be held without the policy and program being passed.< /p>

In previous years, the pre-budget discussion was completed before the policy and program were presented.< /p>

Moreover, when the parliament meeting was called for Jestha 17, a four-day discussion on the policy and program was scheduled. However, the parliament, which the government had called to bring ordinances, was postponed, and the session was called only after 11 days. This has significantly narrowed the time for discussing the government's policy and program.< /p>

Former MP Khim Lal Devkota says that this discussion on the policy and program is very short, and it is unfortunate that MPs did not get the opportunity to express their views and comment on the policy and program.< /p>

'If MPs are not allowed to criticize or comment on the government's policy and program, democracy will be weakened,' says Devkota. 'When Congress-UML united to form a government close to a two-thirds majority, I publicly stated that democracy would be in danger; now, the situation appears even weaker.'< /p>

Currently, there are 275 MPs in the House of Representatives. He states that no one who wishes to comment on the government's policy and program and budget should be stopped. However, he says that this is not possible in a one-day discussion.< /p>