KATHMANDU, April 18: Former finance ministers urged the government to bring a realistic and implementable budget.
Speaking at a consultation meeting organized by the Ministry of Finance on the budget for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26, they advised the government to avoid populist slogans and instead focus on presenting a practical budget. They also called for prioritizing production and employment.
They stressed the importance of focusing on large, result-oriented, and implementable projects rather than proposing numerous schemes. They also recommended giving priority to programs related to health, education, and income generation.
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Former Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai called on the government to prioritize an implementable budget with clear ideological and policy direction. He warned that the state creates problems by trying to do everything without adequate resources, and he urged policymakers to clearly define the roles of the public, private, cooperative, and community sectors.
Similarly, Former Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat urged the government to follow project classification standards and introduce only limited, implementable projects. He also stressed the need to align fiscal and monetary policies.
Also speaking on the occasion, Former Finance Minister Barshaman Pun called on the government to complete national pride projects in a phased manner and to fully utilize existing infrastructure. He highlighted the importance of information technology and urged the government to bring a budget that ensures regional balance.
Similarly, former Finance Minister Janardan Sharma urged the government to shift revenue dependency from imports to domestic production.
