Lumbini Province Government Prepares for Upcoming Fiscal Year Budget

Butwal. The Lumbini Province government is preparing to formulate the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya stated that the budget will be drafted by considering the province's actual situation and capacity.

During a discussion program on the Parliamentary Budget Office held in Rapti Valley (Deukhuri) on Monday, Chief Minister Acharya expressed his commitment to making the budget implementation-oriented. He clarified that while there were some weaknesses in the past due to technical reasons, the upcoming budget will be realistic.

Chief Minister Acharya stated that only projects recommended through the project bank will be included in the budget. He mentioned that the planning selection process will be improved to develop a systematic approach.

At the program, Speaker Tularam Ghartimagar said that efforts are being made to make the budget formulation process more objective and effective. Provincial Assembly Secretary Durlabh Kumar Pun Magar, Deputy Secretary Lokmani Pandey, and Economist Dr. Sudan Kumar Oli gave presentations on the challenges of the budget system and measures for improvement.

The discussion emphasized the need to establish a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO). It is believed that such a mechanism will help Provincial Assembly members understand the language, structure, and impact of the budget.

Additionally, suggestions were presented to institutionalize budget analysis and monitoring mechanisms, strengthen financial transparency and accountability, and maintain budget discipline.

The program also highlighted the need to focus on gender and social inclusion, climate responsibility, financial coordination, improvement of data systems, and increasing budget literacy.