Budget should prioritize modernizing agriculture

CPN (Unified Socialist) leader and former prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal has said that the coalition government should bring a socialism-oriented budget in line with the spirit and letter of the constitution.

Participating in the discussion on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2022/23 AD in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, he suggested to formulate the forthcoming budget on the basis of the directive principles of the states included in the constitution.

Stressing on the need to modernize and mechanize agriculture, he said that agricultural production should be increased to reduce the import of food grains. "Now there is a tendency to fragment the arable land. It should be stopped. Farmers should be provided with improved varieties of seeds and fertilizers," he said. "Investment in agricultural research should be increased."

Stating that the water resources have not been utilized well despite having sufficient potential, he said that the big projects should be constructed by Nepal itself. Stating that the trade deficit of the country has increased as the consumption of petroleum products is increasing, he clarified that the import of petroleum products would be reduced if the means of transportation of petroleum products could be converted into electronic means.

 "Environmental pollution will be reduced if electricity can be used only in the transport sector," Khanal said. Stressing on the need to take a policy to increase the internal consumption of electricity and sell only the surplus electricity, he said that the government should pay special attention to the expansion of power transmission lines.

 Urging to implement progressive tax system, he said that tax leakage should be tightened by widening the tax range. Stressing on the need to complete the expansion of east-west and north-south highways as soon as possible, he said that Mahakali corridor should be constructed in the west and Mechi corridor in the east. "It is also necessary for national security," he said. "The Mahakali and Mechi corridors strengthen border security. The road network is also important for economic and tourism development."