Kathmandu: Former Prime Minister and major opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, popularly known as ‘Prachanda,’ has criticized the government’s recently unveiled policies and programmes, stating they are far removed from the realities faced by the nation. During a discussion on the government’s fiscal policies for 2082-83 BS (2025-26), presented by President Ramchandra Paudel at a joint sitting of the Federal Parliament, Dahal accused the government of drafting the policies merely as a formality.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Dahal argued that the government’s document lacks a review of past efforts and fails to propose concrete strategies to address current challenges. He contended that the policies do not adequately respond to the urgent needs of the population and the nation at large. Dahal criticized the language of the policies as vague and ceremonial, failing to address crucial national priorities such as agriculture, water resources, tourism, and social justice.
Dahal emphasized the necessity for a comprehensive reconsideration of the policies, urging the government to introduce programmes that are both pro-people and productive. He pointed out the absence of innovative and long-term visions to promote agriculture, stressing that the government should prioritize a community-based rural economy.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Dahal criticized the withdrawal of several programmes, including the ‘Decade of Investment in Agriculture Campaign’ and the ‘Partnership Programme for Production and Employment.’ He highlighted the government’s neglect of the needs of marginalized communities within these policies and programmes.
Dahal also reflected on his tenure, claiming his leadership had introduced policies capable of significantly improving the livelihoods of marginalized and excluded communities, including Dalits, women, and people with disabilities. He expressed concern over the suspension of legal procedures for the establishment of the High-Powered Dalit Development Authority and criticized the withdrawal of the Remittance-Based Entrepreneurship Programme.
In conclusion, Dahal called on the government to address the citizenship rights of non-resident Nepalis, emphasizing the importance of granting them economic, social, and cultural rights.