Kathmandu:
 The 68th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Cooperatives Development Board (NCDB) has been held here today under the chairmanship of Chairman of the Interim Election Council, Khil Raj Regmi.
Chairman Regmi, also holding the responsibility of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, is also the Chairman of the National Cooperatives Development Board.
The meeting has proposed a budget of Rs. 4.98 billion to run different programmes in the next fiscal year 2013/14.
The meeting proposed the budget for running special programmes including strengthening of the Cooperatives Development Fund, industrial development through cooperatives and Nigaul cow farm management.
Most of the board members, present in the meeting, stressed that the proposed programmes of the Board should be effective and result oriented, saying the programmes have become more budget-oriented.
However, some members complained that the Ministry concerned has not paid attention to invest in the development of cooperatives.
Addressing the meeting, Chairman Regmi said that some programmes including cooperatives market management and institutional capacity development are important as all the proposed programmes cannot be fulfilled.
He added that priority should be given for the implementation of the programmes. Chairman Regmi stressed that the Board should formulate plans and programmes, and fix budget with proper thinking where it would be more result-oriented while investing.
Stating that the achievement would not be result-oriented if engaged in various sectors at a time, he expressed the view that the Board should allocate the budget in order to forward fruitful plans in an effective manner.
Similarly, Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr. Rabindra Kumar Shakya, expressed the commitment that the Commission would keep effective and fruitful plans in priority, saying pre-plan and basis for expenditure should be determined while forwarding any programmes.
Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank, Dr. Yubaraj Khatiwada, urged the Board to pay attention on how to forward the cooperatives movement rather than become very ambitious for budget.
Co-Chairman of the Board, Saroj Kumar Shahi, stressed that the government should give special priority to the programmes proposed by the Board to initiate cooperative industry in the country, saying the Board is only a body to provide technical and financial support, not the implementing body.
Likewise, Secretary at the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Bal Kumar Joshi, said that it was necessary to increase investment in cooperatives market management and agriculture sector.
Joint-Secretary at the Finance Ministry, Krishna Prasad Devkota, said that there was no situation to invest again in the industries run by the government as the industries are now in trouble, and accused that  the Board's  leadership had not followed economic discipline.
The Board said that decisions would be made on the proposed programmes and budget after holding extensive discussions. RSS