NC, UML urges government for consensus budget

Leaders of main opposition parties Nepali Congress and CPN-UML urged the government to introduce the new fiscal year budget only after forging consensus between political parties.

Interacting at a programme organised by the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON) here on Wednesday, they also urged the caretaker government to introduce the full-fledged budget only after consensus.

Consensus between the political parties is must for the new budget, said leader of CPN-UML and former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey, adding that the budget without consensus will not be acceptable.

He said that consensus is indispensible even if the budget is introduced through ordinances. CMN-UML is flexible for national consensus on budget, he added.

Saying that NC is ready to hold talks on the new budget, NC leader and former State Minister of Finance Dip Kumar Upadhya urged the government to call on all the parties for talks.

He also said that the government has not invited them for talks.

However, Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun had been reiterating that the government will introduce the full-fledged budget along with inviting political parties for talks to forge consensus on the matter. nepalnews.com