Finance Minister holds video conference with State ministers

4 May Kathmandu : Minister for Finance and Chair of the Inter-governmental Fiscal Council Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada held a video conference with Ministers of Economic Affairs and Planning of all the seven States today in the lead up to the formulation of the budget estimates for Fiscal Year 2020/21.

He also discussed with them about the impact of COVID-19, problems to enforcement of budget and practical aspects of the revenue and expenditure system. On the occasion, finance minister Khatiwada stressed on the need for effective enforcement of the projects under the conditional grant of the federation and for the state to give priority to employment creating programmes at the local level. He also urged them to report about the status of the projects under conditional grant.

He said that the States need to allocate budget in the national priority areas during allocation in areas except for the mandatory responsibility to be fulfilled under the equalization grant.  On behalf of the states, Chief Minister and Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of State 5 Shanker Pokharel, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of State 1 Indra Bahadur Angbo, Bijaya Kumar Yadav of State 2, Kailash Dhungel of Bagmati State, Prakash Jwala of Karnali and Jhapat Bahadur Bohara of Sudur Paschim State emphasized on the need to give priority to agriculture and health sector while increasing the financial ability of the states.