Since the government has a mandate of 6 months, it was decided in the first meeting of the Council of Ministers not to spend any additional money in the name of Secretariat and Private Secretary.
What you should know
The interim government led by Sushila Karki, formed after the Gen-G movement, has been increasingly interfering in the reform sector. In the government of the four-member council of ministers, most of the ministries are on the shoulders of Prime Minister Karki.
Former Secretary Rameshwar Khanal as Minister of Finance, former Executive Director of Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising as Minister of Energy with Physical Infrastructure and Omprakash Aryal active in the field of justice, law and human rights as Minister of Home Affairs have shown signs of improvement.
Since the government has a mandate of 6 months, it was decided in the first meeting of the Council of Ministers not to spend any additional money in the name of Secretariat and Private Secretary. The government has decided to give 1.5 lakhs to the families of the deceased, declaring those who supported the Gen-G movement as martyrs.
The Council of Ministers has also made a principled decision to form a high-level judicial inquiry commission regarding the free treatment of the injured and the loss and excesses of property in the movement.
Prime Minister Karki held the second cabinet meeting on Wednesday and asked the minister to focus on work and be frugal. According to a minister, she urged people to take 'action' on behalf of the people. He also informed that the Cabinet will be completed by Friday. She instructed the ministers to work keeping in mind that the youth who demanded 'delivery' and control of corruption lost their lives and became the government.
The three ministers are monitoring the damage caused by the agitation. On Wednesday, they visited the Parliament Building, Minister's Quarters and Singh Darbar.
Finance Minister Khanal has decided that the first decision is not prepared and the budget will not be given to piecemeal projects. He said that he took this decision saying that the structures that were destroyed due to the protestors should be rebuilt, the next priority should be to meet the demands of the youth and hold elections. He has formed a working group under the coordination of Suman Dahal, Head of Budget and Program Division, to reduce expenses and collect election expenses.
Minister Khanal has said that besides not taking PSO facilities, salary and allowances, he will also be frugal in vehicles. Saying that 6 months is a short period, he has started appearing at the ministry at 8 am. Although it was a public holiday on Wednesday, he reached the ministry.
Khanal has instructed to keep bank and customs offices open on public holidays other than one day during Dasain after discussions with industrialists on Tuesday. He instructed to continue the initiative to open the Tatopani border crossing which was blocked due to landslides and to facilitate the importation of goods through the Corolla border crossing of Mustang for the past few days instead of Rasuwa and Tatopani border crossings.
Finance Minister Khanal has extended the tax payment time by one month after discussing with the officials of Federation of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal and others.
He has relaxed the system of paying VAT, excise duty, luxury tax, education fee and other taxes by August 25, and extended it to October 25. He has also prepared to bring an 'Integrated Business Recovery Plan'. Industrialists are enthusiastic about these decisions. Ministry of Finance and Customs were open on Wednesday as a holiday.
Minister Ghisingh has already decided to collect the amount owed by the state for dedicated feeder and trunk line fees owed by the electricity authority on the first day of assuming office. In the past, due to political parties and governments, this fee could not be raised.
It is said that the government should raise but the industrialist says that there is no TOD meter, the amount is 8 billion. Ghising believes that even if only a part of it is raised, it will be easy to rebuild. Ghising, who is also the Minister of Physical Planning, has announced that a special fund will be set up for the reconstruction of damaged structures. Nepalis abroad have also been requested to help in the fund.
He has announced that he will not take government benefits and will keep his salary in the martyrs' support fund. After ascertaining the damage to the public structure, they have started a campaign to immediately proceed with the reconstruction work, and for the reconstruction, they have started a campaign saying 'we will build our public structure ourselves'.
Under the direction of Minister Ghising, painting and cleaning work has started in Singha Darbar from October 1. He said that the Kodari section of Arani Highway, which has been blocked for two months, will be opened within two days. directed Vijay Jaisi.
Ghisingh also directed to submit an immediate report on the condition of the minister's quarters and resume the building which can be operated only after repairs. Similarly, since the elections will be held after 6 months, the members of the House of Representatives will come and after some time the meeting of the National Assembly will have to be held, so he also instructed to complete and hand over the Parliament building being constructed in Singha Darbar on time. He also instructed that the next Parliament should start from Singha Darbar as the building of Baneshwar was completely damaged.
Ghising has also instructed the executive director of the authority, Hitendradev Shakya, to vacate the post. On Tuesday, he discussed with the Chief District Officer (CDO) of 77 districts, and on Wednesday, he discussed with the chief and officer of Nepal Police and Armed Police on matters of law and order and security of people's property.
In the discussion with the CDO, he has instructed to address the damage of public and private property during the protests across the country and the safety of the people. Within a few days, they have started consultations for the formation of a high-level judicial commission on the incident of the movement.
Minister Aryal said that he has discussed with the retired judges of the High Court to work in this committee and the person who will be in the commission will be decided in a day or two.
Economist Keshav Acharya commented that since the current government is an interim government, it will not be able to do new things, but it is trying to create enthusiasm.
"This is an interim government, as it is a temporary government formed for the purpose of holding elections, it cannot do many new things, even the law does not allow it," says Acharya, "The main mandate is to hold elections, it will not bring a new budget and not change the tax rate, but it must stop the corruption that has been going on for years."
Transparency has shown that the condition of Nepal has deteriorated every year and now the interim government should address it, he suggested to prepare for elections. "The Minister of Home Affairs and the Finance Minister should start an informal investigation on the economy and corruption immediately, and give an interim report within a month," he says.
