Sleep less, work more, Finance Minister tells new secretary

Kathmandu, Aug 2

Newly appointed Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini assumed his office on Monday. He is transferred to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) from the Office of Finance Comptroller General.

Meanwhile, incumbent Finance Secretary Shishir Kumar Dhungana is transferred to the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. He has six months’ term to serve as the secretary.

In a programme organised by the Ministry, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma welcomed the new secretary Marasini and bade farewell to outgoing Dhungana.

He directed Marasini to work to create a socialism-oriented economy as per the guidance of the constitution. He also urged him to sleep less and work more with him at the ministry.

Minister Sharma stated that there was a lot to do to fulfill the main task of increasing the internal resources and reducing loan and trade deficit and said that all department heads and civil servants must put their hard work to achieve this.

“Processes must not move from one table to another. Important issues must be resolved from a single table. If there are any issues that are against the national interest, you must be able to say. I want civil employees who can reject every issue that comes with hidden interest,” he said.

Marasini pledged to work hard to make the economy dynamic with employment creation through the promotion of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Stating that the SMEs in Japan contribute to about 70 per cent to Japanese economy, he maintained that the promotion and expansion of such enterprises would help in ending unemployment and poverty in the country.

Dhungana said that there were no reasons to worry since the economy was gradually emerging out of the pandemic. “We have achieved 92 per cent revenue target amidst the pandemic. Likewise, the country has enough foreign exchange reserve for the transaction for 10 months, remittance has increased and is coming through the formal channel, and export has also increased,” he said.

Dhungana has worked at the MoF and its line agencies for 13 years and 9 months. He also pointed to the need of managing the inter-governmental fiscal transfer, public corporations and large funds at the Nepali Army, the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.

He added that the country must improve its capital budget spending.

Marasini has worked at the MoF and line agencies for about 25 years. Speaking on the occasion, Revenue Secretary Ram Sharan Pudasaini said that Marasini’s experience would bridge the gap created by the transfer of Dhungana.

Pudasaini himself is retiring from coming Saturday.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 3 August 2021.