The Nepal Weekly 
May 23, 2023
The government unveiled its policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year 2080/81 in the parliament on Friday. President Ram Chandra Paudel presented the policies and programmes in his address in joint session of House of Representatives and National Assembly.
President Paudel asserted that the policies and improvement focused solutions adopted by the government had manifested positive results in all sectors. He stated that the indicators of economy had turned positive. So as the economy is returning to its natural rhythm.
The government will review the existing taxation system for the upcoming budget, he said. The revenue administration will be strengthened and made proactive, he added. He shared that the scope of revenue collection will be diversified and an emphasis will be given to control revenue leakage, illegal transactions and migration of the national capital.
President Paudel proceeded to state that received international aid well be concentrated in large scale projects. He said that the public debt will be utilised in a manner to generate optimum outcome. The international aid will be used for transformational, high-priority and projects of national pride, he added.
Similarly, President Paudel in his address shared that the government will dissolve different unnecessary Boards and Committees formed during different periods to reduce government spending.
The government will make attempts to make convenient to monitor development projects, acquire land, use forest area, evaluate impact on environment, to ease purchase procedures by formulating relevant laws, President Paudel said.
He also stated that the government will study the possibility of increasing production and exporting construction materials including stone, gravel and sand available from Nepal. He added that the excavation of such construction materials will be regulated by making legal arrangements.
President Paudel stated that the government will proceed ahead with the construction of the Nijgadh International Airport, which is currently in a controversy and lacks funding.The government will work to standardize the international and domestic airports in Nepal and use the current airport facilities to their full potential.
President Paudel also announced that in a period of two years the government will make electricity accessible to all households in Nepal. For minimum energy using consumers, the government will waive cost of 50 units of electricity during wet season and 30 units in dry season for the consumers. The government will make efforts to replace LPG cylinders with electric alternatives and to study the possibility of Hydrogen-fuel production, President Paudel also stated.
The government also plans to relocate the landless along the rivers including in Kathmandu Valley and make such areas encroachment free.
President Poudel stated that the government will draft new ordinance to make telecommunication services cheaper. The government will encourage co-use of telecommunication infrastructure, he said. “The organization will be restructured to merge the security Printing Centre and the Currency Department.”
Similarly, President Paudel announced that the second phase of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project will proceed in such a manner that it remains operational throughout the year. The government plans to make the water resources pollution free.
President Paudel shared that 2025 will be marked and celebrated as special tourism year and for the same enthusiastic promotion of religious and culturally important places will be done. Similarly, time-relevant amendments in existing tourism laws will be made.
Similarly, President Paudel stated that the government will adopt strict measures to end all kinds of syndicates and cartelling in the market and proper monitoring of the market will be ensured.
The Constitution of Nepal constitutes a provision to present the annual fiscal budget on Jestha 15 each year. Before the presentation of the budget, the President has to disclose the policies and programmes of the government, which determines government’s plan of action.
