MP Rana Criticizes Budget as Anti-Poor and Debt-Ridden

Kathmandu. Member of Parliament (MP) Kruparam Rana has criticized the government and the Finance Minister, stating that the budget for the upcoming fiscal year is anti-poor, contrary to the spirit of federalism, and burdens citizens with debt.

Participating in the budget discussion in the parliamentary meeting on Monday, MP Rana said that the budget brought by Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle has completely disappointed the poor, marginalized, and local levels.

Questions on Budget Cut for Local Levels

MP Rana expressed anger, stating that while the total size of the budget increased by 25.2 percent, the grants to provinces and local levels were significantly reduced. According to him, the grants for provinces and local levels for the upcoming fiscal year have been reduced by 27.2 percent, or 158 kharba 58 arab rupees, compared to the current year.

“Instead of addressing local needs and development, the budget has been cut, pouring cold water on people's hopes,” Rana said. “Finance Minister, how will the country's character change by cutting the budget of local levels?”

Opposed Debt Yesterday, Imposing It Today?

MP Rana pointed out the contradiction between the past stance and the current actions of Finance Minister Dr. Wagle and his party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). He accused the RSP, which strongly opposed government borrowing in the past, of now burdening the Nepali people with a debt of 29 kharba 34 arab rupees right from the beginning.

“A situation has arisen where even repaying the principal and interest on loans requires taking out new loans,” he said. Similarly, he stated that although the revenue collection target is set at 14 kharba 5 arab rupees, the government has forgotten the reality that more than 13 kharba in revenue cannot be collected, looking at the data from previous years.

MP Rana claims that the budget is not in favor of the poor, laborers, Dalits, landless, and those affected by reserves. He said that the budget has not reached the people of Sudurpashchim, where poverty is 34 percent, and Karnali Province, where poverty is 40 percent. He sarcastically remarked that the Finance Minister is “allergic to the word poor” for imposing taxes on essential services like education, health, and electricity. His comment was that the talk of expanding the middle class in the budget is mere empty talk.

Doubt Over 1 Kharba Unspecified Budget

MP Rana questioned the allocation of approximately 1 kharba rupees under the 'Miscellaneous and Unspecified' heading within the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies. “What is such a large amount for? Is it fuel, tea, or hospitality? It should be clarified,” he questioned the government, which advocates for good governance.

Emphasis on Sudurpashchim's Development and Energy Security

MP Rana, however, praised the government's policy to expand the storage capacity to 3 months for energy security. He demanded that the construction of an LP gas bottling plant with a capacity of 15,000 metric tons in Sarlahi and the land acquisition for it, which will save 3 kharba in transportation, be expedited.

Furthermore, he drew the government's attention to immediately advance the construction of the Daiji-Chhela industrial area, which will create 22,000 jobs to open the country's economic door from Sudurpashchim, and to expand the petroleum pipeline from Haldwani, India, to Kanchanpur, Nepal.