CPN (MC) departments urge Minister Pun to formulate inclusive budget

KATHMANDU: Various departments of the CPN (Maoist Centre) have put forward suggestions to Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun concerning the development of Nepal's annual budget for the forthcoming fiscal year.

At the CPN (MC)'s central office in Paris Danda, Koteshwor on Sunday, Minister Pun participated in a discussion with the heads of more than a dozen of departments of the party.

Finance Minister Pun, who also serves as the Vice General Secretary and Head of the Economic and Planning Department of the CPN (MC), convened a meeting where the heads of the party's departments stressed the importance of focusing on the plan to formulate the budget and boost production. They suggested that to maintain a sectoral balance during the budget formulation, priority should be given to economically and socially disadvantaged areas, as well as the health and education sectors, which are acknowledged by the constitution as the inherent rights of citizens. They also underscored the significance of the energy, agriculture, tourism, and information technology (IT) sectors.

At the programme, Finance Minister Pun declared that the budget will be prepared in a collaborative manner. He added that the government's policies and programmes will align with the election pledges of the coalition parties. He noted that he had previously gathered suggestions from representatives of various sectors regarding the budget preparation and pledged to include those suggestions in the budget preparation.