Lawmakers have insisted that the budget for the coming fiscal year should prioritize people with disabilities, the indigenous nationalities, Dalits, women and marginalized communities.
Taking part in the discussions on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill (except tax proposal) in the meeting of the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament, Monday, they said so. Finance Minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada had presented the bill in the Upper House before this.
Ramesh Prasad Yadav said the country could not be developed by neglecting the Madhesi, Dalit, ethnic communities. He demanded that the budget allocations should be made on the basis of population.
Khemraj Nepali said the budget allocation has included sustainable development, peace, prosperity and stability.
Prakash Pantha stressed that the budget for the next fiscal year should focus on good governance and equitable distribution of wealth. It should focus on employment generation, he added. Ram Chandra Rai demanded that the budget should be centered on bringing the marginalized indigenous nationalities into the mainstream of national development and it should be focused on the development of agriculture.
Ramprit Paswan criticized the appropriation bill saying it was a continuation of the old programs and policies. He demanded that youths going for abroad employment should be given soft loans.
Komal Oli said the budget should lay stress on motivating the civil servants and that it should encourage increased investment in industry and infrastructure development.
Thagendra Prakash Puri said the budget should give priority to the education and employment sectors. Capital investment should be increased in national pride projects, he stressed. Jiban Budha stressed on maintaining coordination among the three tiers of government in the budgetary allocation.
Dr Bimala Rai Poudyal said the government's policies and programmes were balanced and the budget should emphasise on self-sufficiency rather than dependency.
Bina Pokharel stressed that the budget should promote social justice while Mukta Kumari Yadav demanded that 30per cent of the total national budget should be allocated to the education sector.
Raj Kumar Kunwar demanded that the budget should allocate funds for exploration of mines in various places of the country and that there should not be any discrimination while allocating budget to the lawmakers.
Lawmaker Hariram Chaudhary stressed on allocating budget in such way to complete the Melamchi project that supplies water to the Kathmandu Valley in the next fiscal year.
Ram Lakhan Chamar demanded that the budget allocation should be done in such manner that it brings proportional development of all regions.
