Nepal, June 11 -- A few weeks before the fiscal year 2025-26 budget was unveiled, I met Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel twice, requesting him to attend a pre-budget discussion programme from the perspective of federalism. The minister mentioned that he would not be able to participate in the programme but asked me to submit my suggestions in written format.

During a pre-budget discussion in the House of Representatives, Paudel remarked that the federal government's plans and programmes, such as user committees and forest user groups, were smaller than those at the local levels. He sharply criticised federal ministries for continuing projects inherited from previous governments. He also announced that the federal government would no longer...