Wednesday, July 19, 2006

When one by design or by default wishes to please all at a time, he more often than not fails miserably. And this is what the finance minister Dr. Ram Saran Mahat has done this time while presenting the fiscal budget from the ramparts of the newly energized parliament.

He claims to be with the poor and concurrently appears to have assured those who remained instrumental in providing a shape to the movement-2 that their contributions would not go in vain.

Similarly, he is with the industrialists and the farmers and tells them that his attention would always be there in order to keep their prime interests. Likewise, Dr. Mahat indirectly hints the Maoists that he has slashed the money going to the coffers of Nepali royalty and the Army-the two main antagonists of the Maoists insurgency. But the fact is that neither he has cut the money for the Palace affairs nor he has brought down the money going to the Army headquarters. Indeed, in language he has made every one to feel that he has acted under the spirit of the movement and especially of the Maoists. This is not true.

The fact is that the finance minister even did not consulted the Maoists while drafting the budget presented only the other day which becomes clear from the manner the Maoists have begun to react against the Mahat budget.

As per the agreement inked in between the Maoists and the SPA what had been agreed that on issues that will have a national bearing the two parties will act accordingly in consultations. Now that the Maoists have not been consulted at time of the drafting of the budget means that the establishment under Koirala has yet to recognize the CPN-M as a legitimate party and that the Maoists will have to go by the dictates of the SPA until and unless they became a part of the government officially.

Such neglect of the Maoists will boomerang. How they react and in which form their reaction comes will have to be watched.

Not all is bad with the budget. What is impressive of it all is that this time the Kathmandu government appears to have provided its attention towards the plight of the Karnali people. This is encouraging. What is also impressive in the budget is that the budget provides ample attention for the construction of the roads and link roads which will automatically not only enhance the economic activities of the people in the remote areas but will also bring the so far neglected and rejected population to the mainstream politics of the country.

The allocation of the budget to the martyrs and their families deserves deep appreciation, which is what had to be done.

Nevertheless, the allegations have been that the budget has not provided its due attention to the plights of the poor men, if true, is shocking indeed. After all the poor men too were a part of this society wherein Dr. Mahat lives. What is also lacking is the construction of factories in remote parts of the country so that it could consume the unemployed youths of that part which would have minimized the fleeing of the countryside youths to alien lands more so to the adjoining Indian town. How the Indians treat the Nepalese is any body's guess.

All in all, the budget looks impressive. However, how the allocations in diverse sectors go to the chosen and allocated sectors will have to be watched. If past experiences were any guide then what could be said of this budget is that this one in particular is not an entirely a new budget presented in the country wherein the minister has assured each and every one a cake but the cake does not approach to the promised ones. Since the implementation part in this country is very bad so we will have to wait for some time to see how the money thus allocated goes to the targeted sectors and groups. Talking high and making eloquent lectures does not cost. What would matter in essence is how the money gets utilized and which sectors benefit.

Thus the budget has provided cakes for all but has concurrently told all they will not be allowed to eat it.

Lastly, the freshly presented budget also clearly hints that Nepal will take some decades more to get rid of the foreign doles and grants. But then yet considering the devastated state of the country due to the conflict let's not say no to such grants and donations. We have to accept it until we ourselves become self-reliant. But will India allow us to become self-reliant at least on political and economic matters?

This is the million-dollar question. Don't forget the presumed RAW man, Prof. S.D. Muni is in town and Shyam Saran, the former Indian Ambassador to Nepal who practically weakened Nepal on all fronts during his tenure here as Indian envoy is shortly visiting Kathmandu . Will these Indian SHARKS allow Nepal to take a sigh of relief? No way!

Oh! The old colonial mindset. Let's hope that Comrade Prachanda, a staunch nationalist as he is widely believed, will take due care of these SHARKS when he comes to power in a month or two.