KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has defended the size of the national budget, saying that although he had the option to present a significantly larger one, he exercised restraint.

Tabling a proposal in the ongoing session of the House of Representatives to begin discussions on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26), Minister Poudel offered a self-defense against growing criticism.

On May 29, Paudel had presented an estimated budget of Rs 1.964 trillion for the next fiscal year in Parliament. He has faced criticism for proposing a budget perceived as too large despite the government’s failure to fully implement the current year’s budget from the very beginning of the fiscal year.

Responding to the criticism, Paudel told the House, “The budget amounts to around 28 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Generally, a budget up to 30 percent of GDP is considered realistic. So, this budget expresses a commitment to balance in terms of size.”