Project selection on nepotism is a past story, DPM Poudel says

Kathmandu, Feb 14: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel has said that the government had to downsize the budget of the current fiscal year through the half yearly review since there it difficult to meet the target of revenue collection and expenditures.     

In his speech in today’s National Assembly meeting in regard to the half yearly review report of the current fiscal year, Poudel said the review in the budget was made as per the laws and the budget implementation would be made further effective.     

Stating that time for selection of projects on the basis of nepotism is over, the Deputy Prime Minister made it clear that the projects would be forwarded only after being clear whether it is required.     

The projects would be forwarded only after prioritization of project selection, preparation and implementation.     

Saying that the government’s focus is on increasing internal production, the Finance Minister said the government was effortful to shift the import-based revenue system to the production-based revenue system. “The Finance Ministry is making efforts for the structural reforms,” he said.     

Sharing the fact that the country’s economy was undergoing through challenges, the Finance Minister said the government was mindful to the deficit in reserve fund and declining trend of revenue collection.     

He also expressed the confidence that the interest rate of the loan would be gradually decreased.     

In the National Assembly meeting, MPs Prakash Pantha, Khimlal Devkota, Jitendra Narayan Dev, Tulasa Kumari Dahal, Bhagawati Neupane, Yubraj Sharma, Kamala Panta, Indu Kadariya, Bimala Ghimire, Bhairab Sundar Shrestha and other lawmakers had put their concerns to the Finance Minister on the half yearly review of the current fiscal year’s budget. (RSS)