5 Questions

One must still await a budget that shakes the system

-Mr. Shrish S. Rana, Political Analyst, Kathmandu

TGQ1: How you Mr. Rana take the freshly presented budget? Is it up to the expectations of the general population? Your comments please!

Mr. Rana: Despite many innovations long overdue, the budget remains a traditional one.

Constraints of the national polity and the economy would seem to be principal obstacles in the formulation of a fiscal policy that must think big in order to bring immediate changes in the state of the economy.

Unfortunately, one must still await a budget that shakes the system thoroughly to jumpstart the development process effectively.

The budget is of no concern to the people and the intellectuals

Dr. Surendra K. C, History Department, T.U

TGQ2: How has, Dr. K. C, the Nepali academic sector taken the budget presented by Dr. Lohani ? Your comments please!

Dr. K.C: The fact is that since the incumbent government is neither an elected one nor it enjoys people’s support and hgence a budget presented by such an entity failed to bag support from the people. The main stream political parties too did not exhibit their support to this budget.

On the other hand, the intellectual sector of this country which is not only divided on political lines but concurrently is also subservient to political parties also did not accepted this budget.

In sum, as the government of the day is not a matter of concern for the lay men and the intellectuals so the budget also did not become a matter of concern for the population including the intellectuals. That’s all.

Budget totally ignores Nepal’s media sector

-Mr. Tara Nath Dahal, President, FNJ, Nepal

TGQ3: Has the new budget taken proper care of Nepal’s Media sector? What is your comment, Mr. Dahal, in this regard?

Mr. Dahal: Unfortunately, the present budget does not talk about the media sector at all. This sector is totally neglected. The suggestions provided by us has totally been neglected which means that the days ahead for the Nepali media would be rough and tough.

Yes! The budget does talk about the scheduled tribes and those of the Dalits. It does focus on the development of the remote parts of the country, which is a welcome move. However, the constraints in the distribution of the allocated budget would have its negative impact.

The aid provided by the government for the political parties is definitely a good sign. This, I hope, would certainly enhance the intra-party democratization and could in some way control the corruption at the political level.

This budget is in favor of the big-business houses. However, revenue collection will not be that easy as the budget expects.

The new budget appears to have been drafted at the instructions of the World Bank.

With no parliament, no DDC and the VDCs, question arises as to who will spend the money allocated for development? That is why, to expect an effective development will just be beating the bush. The development budget is constricted. The fact is that I don’t see how the money allocated for development would be spent. I fear, a sizeable chunk of money will remain unspent.

Unfortunately, this budget curtailed many projects.

In all, it is a budget that has totally forgotten the problems of the Nepal’s mass media sector, which is really very very unfortunate.

The budget is over ambitious

-Mr. Surendra Kumar Aryal , Journalist, Biratnagar

TGQ4: In general how do you Mr. Aryal see the budget and its impact?

The budget is over ambitious however, in the total absence of elected bodies, one wanders how the money allocated for development projects would be spent?

The one aspect, which I liked most, is that it has tried to please the World Bank and the powerful donors of Nepal. Nevertheless, let’s wait and see hoe the development process gets initiated given the chaotic situation in the country.

Budget realization seems impossible

TGQ 5: As an economic journalist, how do assess the budget?

R.B. Khatry: This budget certainly seeks do give something new and positive things. But given the resource availability its realization seems almost impossible.

Moreover, the budget has included certain programs, which are impossible to be completed within a year.

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