January 18: Amid questions being raised over the government’s preparation for announcing next fiscal year’s budget, the Council of Ministers has recommended the president to issue an ordinance to amend the Fiscal Procedures and Financial Accountability Act 2076 in order to change the budget schedule.

A cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to send the Fiscal Procedures and Financial Accountability Act 2076 to the president for amendment through an ordinance.

Government Spokesperson Rekha Sharma informed that the cabinet meeting has decided to recommend the president to issue the ordinance. According to her, Clause (1) of Article 124 of the Constitution of Nepal has provision for the government to introduce ordinances when the parliament is not in session. Accordingly, the government decided to recommend the president to issue the ordinance to amend the Fiscal Procedures and Financial Accountability Act.

The Fiscal Procedures and Financial Accountability Act 2076 mentions that the Finance Minister shall present the government's policies and programs included in the appropriation bill in the federal  parliament 15 days before the presentation of the appropriation bill.

The ordinance proposes revising this date to 'mid-March. Other schedules of the budget will also be amended accordingly. According to the Ministry of Finance, the meeting of its resource committee has been set for mid-January to determine the ceiling of the budget. The amendment also includes the provision for the National Planning Commission to send the budget ceilings to the ministries in the third week of February.

By amending Section 14 (2) of the same Act, the date of submission of the Economic Survey to the Federal Parliament has been specified as '7 days' before the submission of revenue and expenditure estimates. Now the economic survey has to be submitted to the parliament on May 22. This arrangement will come into effect after the president issues the ordinance.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had been saying on public forums that he would bring reforms in the budget.

The National Planning Commission has made intensive preparations in line with the PM’s announcement. The commission has already prepared a draft action plan to implement the prime minister's announcement and sent it to the Council of Ministers.