Province 3 SA begins topic-wise deliberations on budget

Hetauda, July 30: The State Assembly of Province 3 has commenced topic-wise discussions on the province budget allocated for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19.

The province government here on June 15 had unveiled the budget of Rs 35.61 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. In today’s session, 18 SA members took part in the deliberations focused on various headings related to the ministries of industry, tourism, environment and physical infrastructure and planning.

Pashupati Chaulagain, Gita Wagle, Ramesh Poudel, Bishal Khadka, Reena Gurung, Narayan Bahadur Silwal, Bhimsen Khatri, Kamal Bahadur Simkhada, Surendra Raj Gorsai, Dr Rajaram Karki, Prem Bahadur Thapa, Yogendra Sangraula, Nima, Lama, Santa Bahadur Praja, Dinesh Maharjan, Narottam Baidhya, Chhiring Dorje Lama and Prem Bahadur Pulami put their views on the budget in the today’s SA session.

They urged the government to include proportional development projects and economic packages aimed at minimizing poverty through amendments in the budget.

They took the time to accuse the government of ignoring the issues of opposition in the budget, calling on to ensure transparency and impartiality in the government activities.

They further insisted on the need of bringing programmes and projects capable of making people self-sufficient and incorporating the projects of national pride in the province budget.

Most of them expressed their concerns over ‘influence’ of ministers in the budget allocation.

Discussions to take place in the tomorrow’s session scheduled to begin at 11:00 am shall cover the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers; Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law; Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative; and Ministry of Social Development, SA chief secretary Bharat Bahadur Budhathoki said.