National Planning Commission Discusses Budget Proposals with Four Ministries for Upcoming Fiscal Year

Kathmandu. Discussions were held on the plans and programs proposed by four ministries for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 budget. As part of the initial phase of budget formulation, the National Planning Commission, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, today discussed the plans and programs proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, informed Commission Spokesperson Harisharan Pudasaini.

Yesterday, Sunday, the Commission held discussions regarding the budget with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Based on the medium-term expenditure framework prepared by the Planning Commission, the budget ceiling (ceiling) determined by the National Resource Estimation Committee, and the guidance received from the Ministry of Finance, the ministries are entering their plans and programs into the Ministry-wise Budget Information System (LMBIS).

According to the Economic Procedures and Financial Accountability Act, 2076, every ministry must prepare policy, program, and budget proposals for the agencies under its purview, adhering to the received budget ceiling and guidance, and submit them to the National Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance within the stipulated deadline. For this purpose, the Ministry of Finance had given a deadline of Chaitra 15 to the ministries.

The newly appointed Finance Minister, Dr. Swarnim Waglé, has been stating that a transformative budget will be introduced for the next fiscal year. Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance has directed that only those plans and programs be proposed that align with the government's existing policy and periodic plan, are part of projects under the medium-term expenditure framework, have completed preparatory work and cost estimation, and include expenditure and revenue projections for the next three years.

Furthermore, the Commission stated that discussions are underway with the ministries to select the plans and programs for the next fiscal year's budget by centering on the ruling party's election manifesto, the one hundred agendas related to governance reform approved by the Cabinet meeting on Chaitra 13, and the provisions included in the Good Governance Roadmap, 2082.