The four-day long thematic discussion on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year concluded on Friday after Minister for Finance Bishnu Poudel answered the queries of lawmakers.

According to the Parliament Secretariat, 164 lawmakers took part in the deliberations while 28 sought clarification over several provisions of the budget.

During the deliberation that started on Tuesday, lawmakers from the opposition parties criticised the budget saying that it flouted fiscal discipline while those from the ruling parties defended it as a pro-people budget with focus on development.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Manmohan Bhattarai claimed that the government would not be able to meet the target of capital expenditure and foreign aid, which would affect in attaining the development goals.

In the annual estimate of revenue and expenditure, the government expects more than Rs300 billion in foreign loans and grants. He said the “distributive” budget was sure to lead to inflation above the projected 6.5 percent.

CPN -UML lawmaker Surendra Pandey lauded the budget arguing that the allocation of Rs10 billion for initiating the construction of the Kathmandu Tarai fast track with domestic resources was a positive initiative. He demanded the inclusion of Chitwan and Dang in the programme to develop cities along the Postal Highway.

Pandey, a former finance minister, suggested amending the Public Procurement Act, boosting capital expenditure and foreign aid utilisation, improving the capacity to spend and addressing the needs of the agricultural sector. Minister Poudel defended the budget as realistic, claiming that it does not breach the fiscal discipline. The finance minister last week presented a bloated budget of Rs1,048.92 billion for the fiscal year 2016-17. Poudel argued that the budget exceeding the trillion-rupee mark was meant to address the development needs and reconstruction of the earthquake-wrecked structures.

The budget was drafted under the Rs1,051 billion ceiling set by the National Planning Commission, the minister claimed. Earlier, there were reports that the NPC ceiling was Rs909 billion.

He told the House that there would be no fund crunch for the construction of Budhigandaki Hydropower Project and the fast track. “The government is ready to incorporate genuine suggestions of lawmakers,” he said. Ministry-wise allocations will be debated from June 15.

House rules delayed again

Preparations of the ruling parties to settle the row over parliamentary regulations received a fresh setback on Friday after the main opposition Nepali Congress sought a few more days for a deal.

The parties were expected to start discussion on the regulation in Parliament on Saturday. In a meeting of the major parties held at the prime minister’s residence, the NC sought more time to find consensus on the disputed issues, mainly the size of the Hearing Committee.

According to Yogendra Chaudhary, chief whip of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik, the parties agreed to postpone the process by five days and to request Speaker Onsari Gharti to facilitate an agreement.

While the ruling parties are demanding downsizing the committee to 15-strong as envisioned in the new constitution, the opposition seeks continuation of the 73-member committee.