Nepal passes budget — finally

Nepal’s parliament has finally passed the budget for fiscal year 09/10, narrowly preventing a projected economic crisis if the dispute wasn’t solved. The Maoists, who have blockading the parliament for more than three months, finally lifted their protest for three days to allow it to go through.

The cash-strapped government had only been able to spend one third of the proposed revenue, which had begun to impact basic services as hospital workers, teachers and the army had their salaries delayed.

The budget was tabled by Surendra Nath Pandey, the finance minister, in July but MPs were unable to pass the bill before the Maoists began their parliamentary obstruction.