Kathmandu: Nepali Congress lawmaker Jit Jung Basnet has emphasized the need to encourage civil servants to foster good governance by curbing corruption. During today’s National Assembly meeting, where the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure for the fiscal year 2025/26 were discussed, Basnet proposed a significant salary increase for civil servants to counteract the rising cost of living.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Basnet argued that doubling or tripling the current salaries of civil servants is essential to prevent corruption, as their existing remuneration is insufficient to support their families. He also described the government’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year as balanced but stressed the need for a robust mechanism to ensure its effective implementation. Additionally, Basnet highlighted the necessity of establishing an alternative route to the Narayangadh-Muglin road to alleviate traffic disruptions caused by floods and landslides.
Jayanti Devi Rai of the CPN (Unified Socialist) criticized the budget for failing to meet public expectations. She noted that the budget allocation for the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens was inadequate and argued that the country cannot achieve self-reliance without prioritizing agriculture. Similarly, Anjana Shakya of the CPN (UML) underscored the importance of developing attractive agricultural programs targeting youth, as sustainable economic development hinges on increasing production and productivity. Shakya also shared that over 500 start-up companies have been registered in Nepal, with projections of reaching 10,000 start-ups and over 100 unicorn companies by 2030, potentially generating more than 50,000 jobs.
Opposition party lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the budget, claiming it does not address the country’s pressing issues. During the general discussion on the annual budget estimates, CPN (Unified Socialist)’s Ghanashyam Rijal and Sabitri Malla, along with CPN (Maoist Centre)’s Taraman Swanr, Suresh Kumar Ale Magar, Manarupa Sharma, and Gopi Bahadur Sarki Achhami, voiced their concerns. Nepali Congress lawmakers Krishna Prasad Poudel and Krishna Bahadur Rokaya, as well as CPN (UML) lawmakers Anjan Shakya and Bhagawati Neupane, also participated in the budget deliberations.
Today’s assembly marked the conclusion of party-line discussions on the annual revenue and expenditure estimations for FY 2025/26. The National Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on June 9th at 1:15 pm.