मध्यरातिसम्म उज्यालो देखिएको अर्थ मन्त्रालय (तस्बिरहरु)

काठमाडौँ । यो खबर रातको पौने १ बजको हो । सुनसान सिंहदरबारभित्र अर्थ मन्त्रालयमा उज्यालो छ। मन्त्रालयको मूल भवनबाट अर्थमन्त्री डा. स्वर्णिम वाग्ले र कर्मचारीहरू राति अबेर बाहिर निस्किरहेका थिए ।

कोही फाइल बोकेर हतारिँदै छन्, कोही मोबाइलमा कुरा गर्दै हरेक वर्ष जेठ १५ नजिकिँदै जाँदा सिंहदरबारभित्रको माहोल फेरिन्छ । दिनभर बैठक, छलफल र चहलपहलमा व्यस्त हुने अर्थ मन्त्रालय रात परेपछि अझ बढी जागा हुन्छ। मन्त्रालयका कर्मचारी र अधिकारीहरू अन्तिम तयारीमा जुटिरहेका छन् ।

यसपटक पनि दृश्य फरक थिएन । जेठ १५ गते साँझ ४ बजे सार्वजनिक हुने नेपालको आगामी आर्थिक वर्षको बजेटको तयारीका लागि अर्थमन्त्री डा. वाग्ले र उनको टोली एक साताअघि देखि नै रात अबेरसम्म मन्त्रालयमा सक्रिय देखिन्थे । मन्त्रालयका अधिकांश झ्यालहरू रातभर उज्यालै थिए । भित्र कर्मचारीहरू कागजात, तथ्यांक र योजनामाथि गहिरो छलफलमा व्यस्त देखिन्थे । मन्त्रालयका कोरिडोरहरूमा राति अबेरसम्म चहलपहल सुनिन्थ्यो, बैठक कक्षहरूमा निरन्तर छलफल चलिरहेको थियो ।

बजेट केवल अंकहरूको हिसाब होइन, यो सरकारको प्राथमिकता, जनताको अपेक्षा र देशको भविष्यसँग जोडिएको दस्तावेज हो । त्यसैले हरेक वर्ष सरकार फेरिए पनि, अनुहार फेरिए पनि, बजेट लेख्ने यो दबाब र दौडधूप उस्तै रहन्छ। नयाँ सरकारसँगै नयाँ आशा जन्मिन्छ। व्यवसायी कर नीति हेर्न आतुर हुन्छन्, किसान अनुदान र राहतको अपेक्षामा हुन्छन्, युवा रोजगारी र अवसर खोजिरहेका हुन्छन् भने विकास निर्माणको गति कस्तो होला भन्ने चासो आम नागरिकमा रहन्छ।

बजेट सार्वजनिक हुने दिन नजिकिँदै जाँदा चिया पसलदेखि संसद् भवनसम्म एउटै प्रश्न सुनिन्छ, ‘यसपालिको बजेटले केही नयाँ आशा दिन्छ त ?’

तस्बिरःनेपाल फोटो लाइब्रेरी

Kathmandu. This news is at 1:45 am. The Finance Ministry is lit up inside the deserted Singha Durbar. Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle and employees were leaving the main building of the ministry late at night.

Some are rushing around carrying files, some are talking on their mobile phones. The atmosphere inside Singha Durbar changes every year as Jestha 15 approaches. The Finance Ministry, which is busy with meetings, discussions and activities throughout the day, becomes even more awake after nightfall. The ministry's employees and officials are busy with final preparations.

This time too, the scene was no different. Finance Minister Dr. Wagle and his team had been active in the ministry since a week ago, preparing for the budget for the upcoming fiscal year of Nepal, which will be made public at 4 pm on Jestha 15. Most of the windows of the ministry were lit up all night. Inside, employees seemed busy in deep discussions on documents, statistics, and plans. The corridors of the ministry were bustling with activity until late at night, and discussions were going on continuously in the meeting rooms.

The budget is not just a calculation of numbers, it is a document linked to the government's priorities, the people's expectations, and the future of the country. Therefore, even if the government changes every year, even if the face changes, the pressure and rush to write the budget remains the same. With the new government, new hopes are born. Businessmen are eager to see the tax policy, farmers are expecting grants and relief, youth are looking for employment and opportunities, while the common citizen is interested in what the pace of development will be.

As the day of the budget's release approaches, the same question is heard from tea shops to the Parliament building: 'Does this year's budget offer any new hope?'

Photo: Nepal Photo Library