Kathmandu, March 29: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has assured of enabling atmosphere to complete in time the national pride projects and those listed in the government’s priority.
In his replies to the concerns from lawmakers over the report of the National Concern and Coordination Committee in a meeting of the National Assembly (NA) on Friday, the PM reiterated that the government would facilitate to conclude those projects within the given deadline.
He informed the session that the government amended the Finance Procedure and Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2076 BS (FPFR Act-2019) to revise the timetable for presenting the government’s policies, programmes and budget, adding that such revisions will provide room for ample discussions on the policies and programmes and draft the budget on the same basis.
Arguing that some issues in the formulation of development projects, budget appropriation and implementation are due to absence of coordination among the three-tier government, the PM said the Standards and Guidelines for Project Classification- 2080 BS was issued.
The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission has commenced its works for revising the indices of revenue collections among the three-tier governments in the upcoming fiscal year, according to him.
In the meeting, he pledged to ensure a just distribution of resources among the three levels in the days to come. Similarly, works are in progress on a draft of an integrated law relating to the mobilization of natural resources to address disputes in the allocations and utilization of natural resources.
The PM also took time to claim the government is working seriously to strengthen fiscal federalism. The matter was already discussed during a meeting of the National Coordination Committee and of the National Development Problem Solving Committee, he added.
The government pursues a policy of gradually increasing the equalization grant to the province and local levels and reducing the conditional grants by enhancing the effectiveness of supplementary grants and special grants.
PM Dahal shared that necessary efforts were underway for effective implementation of fiscal federalism by keeping suggestions received from regular meeting of different high-levels structures formed for implementation of federalism on revenue rights among three levels.
He shared, “A process to amend intergovernmental fiscal management act has been forwarded. It will resolve the existing problems seen in revenue distribution among three tiers.”
Stating that the main sentiments of the federalism is equitable distribution of rights and resources among three levels, PM Dahal stressed that the federalism could not be exercised in a right way without addressing problems relating inter-relation and coordination among the national and sub-national governments.
He mentioned that the government was serious on the issues of formulating acts required for strengthening and making federalism system effective. As many as 192 new acts were already brought for the implementation of federalism and fundamental rights.
PM Dahal however informed that 21 bills are yet to be tabled in the federal parliament. Seven bills are at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for the formulation consent.
Bills related to federal police, amendment of public procurement act, and of the act related to National Park and Wildlife are in the final phase of formulation, Dahal added. #Nepal
