Sudurpashchim province: Budget disparities favoring influential politicians

Dhangadhi, October 4 — The Sudurpashchim Province government has failed to resolve the budget controversy brought forth amid political turmoil, despite a significant delay in its release for the current fiscal year.

Led by Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah, the government had set four criteria for budget preparation before its presentation. However, it has fallen short in implementing these criteria, resulting in a budget that appears to be person-centered.

A large portion of the budget has been allocated to the constituencies of ministers and influential lawmakers. For instance, the budget allocated to Kailali Constituency No. 5 (2) is significantly higher compared to other constituencies.

Prakash Deuba from the Nepali Congress was elected from this area. According to the budget and annual program booklet presented on September 16, the provincial government has proposed a budget of NPR 31.62 billion for the current fiscal year, with 40.65% (NPR 12.85 billion) allocated for current expenditures and 59.32% (NPR 18.76 billion) for capital expenditures.

Province lawmaker Deuba has allocated a budget of NPR 724.6 million for the construction of physical infrastructure, including 103 roads in Dhangadhi, along with 164 development projects in the social sector.

As a former Minister of Physical Infrastructure Development for the province, Deuba has secured the highest budget for his constituency compared to other electoral areas in the province.

Home town in the choice of the Minister of Physical Infrastructure

The provincial government had requested plans worth NPR 40 million from directly elected lawmakers and NPR 20 million from proportional lawmakers. However, ministers and lawmakers in responsible positions have failed to look beyond their electoral constituencies, municipalities, and wards in the budget.

The Minister of Physical Infrastructure Development for the province, Surendra Bahadur Pal, has allocated NPR 23.5 million to his municipality.

In the six wards of Dilasaini Rural Municipality in Baitadi, the highest budget allocation has been made for roads, canals, embankments, and drinking water projects. Specifically, NPR 86.77 million has been allocated for 46 irrigation and embankment projects in Dilasaini. Additionally, NPR 57.5 million has been set aside for the construction of 16 roads.

The provincial government has allocated budget for 127 projects in Dilasaini, with NPR 234.42 million designated in the current fiscal year's budget.

Minister of Physical Infrastructure Development Pal has allocated NPR 82.67 million for the 46 irrigation and embankment projects, with budgets ranging from NPR 900,000 to NPR 2.67 million for these plans. Following irrigation, the highest budget has been allocated for road construction in Dilasaini. NPR 50 million has been allocated for the construction of 13 roads by the infrastructure office.

An additional NPR 7.5 million has been allocated for three roads to build the Urban Development and Building Office. For drinking water and sanitation projects, NPR 38.8 million has been allocated for 21 plans to be implemented by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office. An additional NPR 4 million and NPR 800,000 have been allocated for two more drinking water projects.

NPR 480 million allocated for Chief Minister Shah's constituency

Not only the provincial ministers but also Chief Minister Shah has focused the budget allocation on his electoral constituency. A budget of NPR 480 million has been allocated for his constituency.

Chief Minister Shah's electoral constituency includes six wards from Lamki-Chuha Municipality in Kailali, two from Mohanyal, and four from Janaki Rural Municipality, totaling 12 wards. He has allocated the highest budget to Lamki-Chuha-1 and the lowest to Janaki-5.

In his constituency, Chief Minister Shah has allocated budgets for road infrastructure, drinking water, irrigation, sports, and even church construction. He has proposed a total budget of NPR 480.9 million for his area, as a province assembly member elected from Kailali Constituency No. 2 (1).

According to the annual development program booklet for the fiscal year 2024/25, a total of 109 projects have received budget allocations in Chief Minister Shah's constituency.

Complaints of budget disparity within the ruling parties

The lack of a balanced budget has led to protests not only from the main opposition party, the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the Unified Socialists, but also from within the ruling party. Lawmaker Ghanshyam Chaudhary from Kailali Constituency No. 3 (1) expressed his disappointment at the lack of budget for his area.

Chaudhary, a former minister, stated that he was asked to submit a plan worth NPR 40 million during the budget preparation. Although he presented a plan exceeding NPR 40 million, he lamented that his constituency has been overlooked in the final budget.

He mentioned that there was a verbal agreement to include the NPR 40 million plan after he raised his concerns, but he asserted that he could only trust this once it is implemented. Like Chaudhary, many assembly members have voiced their frustration that their proposed plans were not included in the budget.