But finance minister Surendra Pandey is hopeful that the UCPNM will help pass the budget. "If they will not assist, their combatents in the UN-monitored camps -- along with civil servants and parliamentarians -- will also suffer," he said addressing media at the Reporters' Club in the Valley today.
The parliament must approve this fiscal year's budget by the middle of November or face a likely shutdown of the administration, with the government unable to pay employees. "We have already stopped the cabinet's salary," he said.
The UCPNM lawmakers have held up proceedings in the parliament for a couple of months with protests against the president for rejecting the dismissal of the army chief by their government. They have been asking for the correction of the President's move, which literally means the fall of incumbent Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government.
The decision by the president -- who officially commands the military -- led Maoist leader and then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal `Prachanda' to resign. A present coalition government took over in May.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav had overruled Dahal's attempts to fire the then army chief, saying they were unconstitutional.
If the budget could not be passed, the government has to bring ordinance. "But there is no need to go through ordinance," Pandey said suggesting the UCPNM to go to street "but not to obstruct parliament and let the budget pass."
Delay in passing the budget has creating problems, he said adding that ministers pay has already been stopped.
Due to delay in passing the budget, government has been facing problems in development expenditure, he said adding that the trend will en- courage spending of development budget at the end of fiscal year that should not happen.
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