Kathmandu, May 20 -- As Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada gears up for the budget for the fiscal year 2019-20, the first one after the strongest government in decades in Nepal completed its one year, there are some glaring challenges he needs to address, experts and economists say.

Khatiwada, a technocrat who is well-versed on economic and financial issues, while being pressed for demonstrating his acumen, he will also have to resist political pressure when it comes to, say, pork barrel funds. And as the budget day approaches, it looks like it will be a tightrope walk for the finance minister.

Khatiwada will be presenting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year amid resource crunch, slow capital expenditure, bureaucratic hassles, widen...