KATHMANDU, Jan 15: Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat has said that the government is going to ask for extra financial support from the donor community during the upcoming meeting of Nepal Development Forum (NDF) that is going to held from February 4-7 in Nepal for the first time.

"The skyrocketing security expenses prompted by the declaration of a State of Emergency has compelled the government cut some of the development expenditures," Minister Mahat said.

He also said that whopping surge in the regular expenditure anchored by a soar in security expenses has swallowed up a large chunk of the national revenue collection, which has put the government in a difficult financial position. The total expenses may even surpass the total revenue, he asserted.

Addressing an interaction programme on the upcoming Nepal Development Forum 2002 organised by Society of Economic Journalist of Nepal here today, he said that the government will present the Tenth Plan and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) as the main policy documents during the meet.

Among others, the NDF meet will also review the Priority Reform Actions committed by the government during the last NDF meeting held in Paris in April 1999. The government will also seek a broader donor support in its plan to introduce Medium Term Budget Framework, he informed.

"During the meet, the government will also get fresh feedback of the donors on the number of reform programmes that are presently in the various stages of implementation," he said.

He also said that the NDF meeting will ensure the participation of civil society, development experts and politicians to make the decision making process transparent by incorporating voices from different quarters.

Speculating on the outcome of the meet, Dr Mahat said that the donors are likely to extend support to the general direction of the Tenth Plan and commit for government-donor partnership in days to come.

"The government also expects a broad and strong support from the donors to address the widening gap between revenue and expenditure in the wake of the latest increment in security expenses," he said.

The meet, which would be organised under the joint convenorship of the government and the World Bank, is expected to be attended by over 30 donor countries and agencies to review the overall development policies and programmes of the government.

During the four-day meet, the World Bank will present a comprehensive economic update of the country, outlining its shortcomings and suggesting corrective measures.

The meeting, which typically takes place every two years, is being held after an interval of 18 months, and is expected to be attended by high level officials from the donor countries and agencies.

The upcoming NDF meeting, formerly known as Paris Aid Group meet, marks some deviations from its past footprints. Unlike the last meeting, donors will also present a paper focusing on their accountability and shortcomings while financing development projects.

During the meet, Nepal will also present a number of sectoral papers pledging to carry out the much-needed reforms, which includes accelerating the reform process in the finance and civil service sectors, as well as speeding up the processes of decentralisation and privatisation.