Miscellaneous
NC piles pressure on FinMin Mahat
The Nepali Congress has asked the govt to announce the Constituency Development Programme: National Campaign based on Consumer’s Comprehensive Participation in all 240 constituencies.Anil Giri
On the occasion of the birth centenary of the late BP Koirala, NC founding leader and Nepal’s first elected prime minister, a meeting of the party office bearers advised Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat to implement the programme. Under this campaign, each constituency will receive Rs 50 million, costing the exchequer Rs 12 billion in total.
A senior official involved in budget preparations, however, disagrees with the NC logic. The Ministry of Local Development has communicated to the Finance Ministry that it will not be responsible for the budget and it should not come under its ceiling.
“There is no difference in the nature of the earlier Rs 1 million and the new Rs 50 million funds. The job of Constituent Assembly members is to draft the constitution. For development, there are several government agencies,” said a Local Development official.
The official believes that it is needless for CA members to assert their role in development as the authorised local agency will be elected after constitution promulgation. Many officials see this as the NC’s bid to influence the local election by mobilising cash at the local level.
While, Finance Minister Mahat is yet to be convinced about the party’s recommendation. He has not committed to include the programme in the budget. “BP said development should reach every household; it should be felt by the people. So the party recommended it on the occasion of his birth centenary,” said NC Joint-secretary General Purna Bahadur Khadka.
He claimed that the money allocated for a constituency will go directly to the District Development Committee where an oversight mechanism will be formed. According to the guidelines proposed by the party, the Local Development Officer will be the member secretary of the mechanism where lawmakers, chief of development agencies at the district level will be members.
“The money will be spent in areas demanded by the locals, not lawmakers,” said Khadka. No party cadre would be included in the mechanism.
Meanwhile, the NC meting decided to hold its general convention after promulgating the new constitution.
The party will begin in six weeks the process to distribute and renew active membership. The meeting also decided to assess the party’s position in newly announced municipalities.