Private sector, opposition parties, economists flay govt

Opposition parties, economists and private sector representatives have lambasted the government alleging that it ignored economic problems facing the country.
Leaders of opposition parties including the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML held discussion with business leaders and economists on Tuesday in a bid to seek a way out of the existing economic problems.
Presenting a ´concept paper´ on country´s economy and budget issues on behalf of 15 agitating oppositional parties, former finance minister Surendra Pandey said the government had failed to boost the economic growth.
"Given the situation, it is sure that country will not achieve even 2.5 percent growth in the current fiscal year,” said Pandey.
He also clarified that opposition parties were not against announcing budget and flayed the government for ignoring the politics of consensus by attempting to announce budget unilaterally.
"The government, a coalition of UCPN (Maoist) and other Madhes-based parties have dismissed the spirit of national consensus," read the concept paper.
The government had brought one-third budget in June for first four months of this fiscal year, expressing commitment to announce full-fledged budget with national consensus.
The concept-paper also highlighted the government´s inefficiency in maintaining desired capital expenditure though the rise in revenue mobilization.
"The government has increased revenue collection but it has failed to make capital expenditure. More than Rs 32 billion has remained unspent during the last four months," stated the concept paper.
The concept paper has also highlighted the situation of weak law and order, increasing cases of corruption inside the government mechanism and slowing down of industrial sector.
"Reported irregularities at the initial bidding process of proposed Pokhara Regional International Airport and over-night decision to procure airplanes for Nepal Airlines Corporation are the major cases of extreme corruption within the government. The Prime Minister himself is not ignorant about it,” read the concept paper.
In the interaction, economists, former vice-chairpersons of National Planning Commission and private sector leaders had also echoed the sentiment expressed by the concept paper and opposition leaders.