HoR endorses Appropriation Bill

A session of the House of Representatives (HoR) passed the Appropriation Bill, 2078 BS. The meeting passed the proposal tabled by Finance Minister Janardan Sharma seeking the endorsement of the Bill with a majority of votes. The document was passed amidst the obstructions from the main opposition CPN UML.

The UML lawmakers resorted to demonstrations once today's session convened. They left their seats and reached the rostrum to picket it once Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota announced that the session was convened.

Responding to queries of lawmakers during the deliberations on the Bill, Minister Sharma said only three per cent of the budget was reduced from the budget brought by the erstwhile government and it had kept the interests of the nation and people's aspirations at first.

With the endorsement of the Bill from the Lower House, it will be sent to the National Assembly, the Upper House. It shall come into force once the NA passes it. The Finance Minister on September 10 presented the Bill to replace the Ordinance budget announced by the previous government led by the UML. 

Similarly, today's meeting of the House of Representatives has approved two bills. The meeting approved the Finance Bill, 2078, and the Bill to Mobilise Internal Loans, 2078, proposed by Finance Minister Janardan Sharma.

Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota has fixed September 23 for the clause-wise deliberations on the Finance Bill 2078.

Finance Minister Sharma had replied to the queries raised in course of the discussions on the principles of the bill in the meeting.

He said general changes have been made to the budget in line with the government's policy of transforming the revenue-based economy to a production-oriented one. Finance Minister Sharma claimed that the bill has addressed topics like the promotion of agriculture and industry in order to make the national economy stronger.

Earlier, Nepal Workers and Peasants' Party lawmaker Prem Suwal presented a proposal seeking the deduction of budget allocated under different headings in the bill. This proposal was rejected by the meeting by majority.

The HoR will next meet at 2 pm on September 23.