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Finance Minister Dr Prakash Saran Mahat today said that the government was going through hard times to manage resources for the budget for the next fiscal year, 2023/24. "It has increasingly become difficult to manage resources for multi-year and periodic projects of which implementation is mandatory," he said during a pre-budget discussion at an event organized here today by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). At the same time, there are challenges in giving a space for new projects in the budget, according to him "Hundreds of projects have been contracted. But there are difficulties managing resources for them. Now, the biggest challenge is to manage resources. Government revenue collection is low. Collection of grants and loans has not reached the target. There is a pressure to provide projects in many areas. But we lack resources." The government had prioritized the increment of investments to widen the scope of the economy, he said, adding that there was no alternative to ease investments. "The more investments increase the more revenue collection is. The government is committed in line with laws to create a climate for people to get entrepreneurship in an easy way." The government had focused on increasing capital expenditures and cutting down on public expenditures, he said. Bank interest rates could be reduced through the review of the monetary policy, and there was a need for policy interventions in various sectors, he stressed. FNCII President Chandra Prasad Dhakal insisted on structural reforms in the economy, urging the government not to make a further delay to launch programs aiming to improve the economy in partnership with the private sector. "The role of private sector in economic reform programs has contributed to the reduction of poverty in India, China, Rwanda and Bangladesh." Monetary policy and its review, government annual plans and policies and budget are the tools to intervene in the economy for reforms, according to him who spoke of the need of promoting domestic and foreign investment through the implementation of special programs. FNCCI Senior Vice President Anjan Shrestha requested the government to focus on production and employment creations while formulating the budget. He was of the opinion that the promotion of domestic production and the achievement of a self-sufficient economy will help the nation advance towards a sustainable economy.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman Rajendra Lingden demanded that the government make public its progress made so far in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. Speaking at a Parliament meeting on Wednesday, Chairman Lingden demanded a ruling to inform the activities made by the government in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam at the earliest. “This is not financial corruption. This is a heinous crime against the state,” he said, “People involved in the scam should not be spared.” Saying that high profile people are accused of being involved in the scam, he said that it was an insult of the country. “We urged the government to inform the Parliament about its commitment actions taken so far,” he said. He said that arguments were making rounds that whether police would launch an investigation into the case. Chairman Lingden also warned the government not to make a mistake by submitting the case to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).  

Police have brought Nepali Congress leader and former Minister for Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand to the District Police Range, Kathmandu for further investigation into his alleged involvement in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. Khand was held from his personal residence and brought to the Range for further investigation, said Range Chief Senior Superintendent of Police Dan Bahadur Karki. Police have already arrested 11 persons for their alleged involvement in the creating fake documents to send people to the United States as Bhutanese refugees. Earlier, police had arrested Indrajit Rai, who served as security advisor to the then Minister of Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, the then Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Tek Narayan Pandey, Sandeep Rayamajhi, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Tanka Gurung, Sandesh Sharma and Sagar Thulung, in connection with the scam. Police said that they are also searching for CPN-UML Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, one of the high-profile accused in the racket. So far, 106 victims of the fake Bhutanese refugee scam have filed complaints at the police office. They lodged complaints saying that the middlemen or fraudsters fleeced over Rs 230 million from them at different time giving them a false hope to send to the United States in the guise of Bhutanese refugee.  

Police on Wednesday arrested former Home Minister and Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Khand in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. Kathmandu District Police Range Chief Dan Bahadur Karki said that Khand was apprehended on the basis of the statement given by those detained in the case of fake Bhutanese refugees. Karki said that Khand was nabbed from his residence this morning. Police have arrested Khand for further investigation after an audio of his wife Manju receiving money in the refugee scam was leaked. Earlier, police had detained the then Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, Indrajit Rai, security advisor of the then Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Rai, Sandesh Sharma, Tanka Bahadur Gurung and CPN-UML Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi’s son Sandeep for their alleged involvement in creating fake documents in order to send Nepalis to the United States in the guise of Bhutanese refugees. Top Bahadur Rayamjhi, however, is on the run after the Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant against him. Ram Sharan KC of Tokha and Govinda Chaudhary of Morang were held from Sankhamul of Kathmandu on Tuesday in connection with the same case, Rabindra Regmi, Information Officer at the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, said. They are accused of collecting Rs 500, 000 to Rs 4.5 million per person from many Nepalis with a promise to send them to the United States as Bhutanese refugees. Meanwhile, Karki said that police have also arrested Narendra KC, who served as personal secretary when Khand was Home Minister, in connection with the scam this morning. He is the personal secretary of the then Home Minister Khand.