KATHMANDU, March 5: The discussion on the principles and priorities (pre-budget) of the Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2024/25 in the House of Representatives has been affected. The pre-budget discussions were disrupted after the collapse of the current alliance led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The meeting of the House of Representatives convened on Monday was adjourned until March 7 after receiving the news that a new ruling alliance and a new Cabinet would be formed. Three ministers of the new coalition took oath of office and secrecy on Monday afternoon.
The outgoing Finance Minister Dr Prakash Mahat had planned to initiate discussions on the priorities and principles of the budget presented in the parliament starting from Monday. According to the schedule of parliament, a program was decided to discuss the principles and priorities of the budget in parliament on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and mid-March i.e., on March 13.
With the change in power dynamics, where the CPN-UML assumes the helm and the Nepali Congress transitions to the main opposition role, there are considerations regarding how the Finance Minister Dr Mahat will adjust the principles and priorities of the budget presented, said one of the officials of the Parliament Secretariat.
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"In such a situation, political consensus is required; there is no provision in the rules," said the official.
There is a rule that the Minister for Finance must be present in the House while discussing the principles and priorities of the budget. The meeting of the House of Representatives was called at 11AM. The Speaker and the MPs reached the House. After the meeting was adjourned, attention shifted towards Baluwatar.
In the meeting, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal first had a program to answer the issues raised by the opposition in parliament. After that, there was a program to discuss the priorities and principles of the budget.
Initially, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was expected to address opposition issues in parliament before engaging in discussions on the budget's principles and priorities. Likewise, discussions on the budget's principles and priorities had already commenced in the National Assembly from February 29.
The National Assembly's meeting on Monday was slated to feature the Prime Minister submitting the annual report of the Public Service Commission 2022/23. However, this meeting has also been adjourned until March 7 at 1:30PM.
