President Ram Baran Yadav has met group of eminent economists on Tuesday to seek their opinion on various issues including government’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2069/70. Six leading economists and former officials with the Finance Ministry including Bishwambhar Pyakurel, Bimal Koirala, Bidhyadhar Mallik, Prithivi Raj Ligal, Shambhu Saran Kayastha and Madan Kumar Dahal were invited by the President at his office in Shital Niwas. After the meeting, the economists told media they had put across their views that the government should not bring out a detailed budget through ordinance.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun and Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Baskota also paid visit to President's office on Tuesday to brief him about the budget preparation. President’s advisor Rajendra Dahal confirmed about the meetings although he said meeting with the economists was President’s personal initiative to keep himself updated about nation’s economic health.
The meetings came amid opposition’s claim that it would request President’s ‘intervention’ to thwart government’s decision to bring out the budget. The NC and UML had made similar request to the President after the CA dissolution and government’s decision to hold elections in November.
“The opposition’s concern is political which they are free to express, but as a head of the state the President understands the legal duty of the government to bring out timely budget to run day-to-day affairs. So his advise to the government was to seek timely cooperation of the opposition and bring out budget of a smaller size.”, Dahal told Nepali Times.
The government is preparing to bring out the budget through an ordinance and it is under pressure from the opposition not to include popular programs which ideally require parliament’s sanction. “The President has also reminded the government it has to keep in mind that the country is holding elections in November.”, he said.