Former Prime Minister and major opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the government's policies and programs are far beyond the realities.
Presenting his views on the government's policies and programs for the fiscal year 2082-83 BS (2025-26) that were presented by President Ram Chandra Paudel in the joint meeting of the Federal Parliament on Friday (May 2), the leader accused the government of bringing the policies and programs just for the sake of formality.
“The document neither reviews past efforts nor proposes a concrete strategy to address the present challenges. It fails to respond to the pressing needs of the people and the nation,” he stated.
Dahal argued that the language used in the policies and programs is vague, uninspiring, and serves only ceremonial purposes. He also accused the government of failing to address critical national priorities such as agriculture, water resources, forests, tourism, education, employment, federalism, and social justice.
Underlining the need for comprehensive reconsideration of the policies and programs, he wanted the government to present pro-people and productive programs.
The document has failed to present innovative and long-term visions to promote agriculture, he said, stressing that community-based rural economy should be the priority of the government, he added.
He expressed unhappiness over the withdrawal of various programs such as ‘Decade of Investment in Agriculture Campaign,’ the ‘Partnership Programme for Production and Employment,’ the ‘Plan to Connect Agricultural Services with Farmers’ Identity Cards,’ the ‘Himal Prosperity Entrepreneurship Programme,’ the ‘Cow and Buffalo Resource Center,’ the ‘Model Farm Establishment Programme at the Ward Level,’ and the ‘Integrated Karnali Irrigation Programme.’
He further accused the government of overlooking the expectations and needs of the marginalized communities in the policies and programmes.
He also claimed that during his leadership, the government had presented the policies and programs capable of bringing substantive changes in the livelihoods of Dalits, women, workers, people with disabilities, marginalized and the excluded communities.
He expressed concern over the government's decision to halt legal procedures for establishing the High-Powered Dalit Development Authority and to withdraw the Remittance-Based Entrepreneurship Programme.
He also utilized the forum to draw the government's attention to the need to implement the citizenship right to the non-resident Nepalis with economic, social and cultural rights.
