Sudurpashchim Province Struggles with Budget Execution, Spending Only 24.24% in Nine Months

Dhangadhi. The Sudurpashchim Province government has failed to improve its budget expenditure for the current fiscal year (2082/083). In the first nine months of the fiscal year, the provincial government has spent only 24.24 percent of its total budget.

According to Baldev Kapadi, Information Officer at the Provincial Comptroller Office, the provincial government has spent only 7.76 billion 42 million 16 thousand rupees by the end of Chaitra. The provincial government had allocated a budget of 33 billion 4 million 68 million 98 thousand rupees for the current fiscal year.

Information Officer Kapadi stated that with only three months remaining in the fiscal year, 24 billion 37 million 69 million 25 thousand rupees remain in the government treasury, which accounts for 75.76 percent of the total budget.

The status of capital budget expenditure, which is directly linked to development, is even more disappointing. Out of a total capital budget of 19 billion 85 million 86 million 96 thousand rupees, the provincial government has spent only 3 billion 26 million 26 million 84 thousand (16.42 percent) so far.

Regarding recurrent expenditure, 33.18 percent, or 4 billion 50 million 61 million rupees, has been spent out of a budget of 12 billion 18 million 82 million rupees.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, which has a budget of 15 billion 21 million 14 million rupees, has spent only 19.30 percent, or 2 billion 93 million 61 million rupees, to date. This ministry still has over 12 billion 27 million rupees remaining.

Similarly, the Ministry of Social Development has spent 30.36 percent, or 2 billion 13 million rupees, out of its 7 billion 1 million 64 million rupee budget.

The Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, with a budget of 3 billion 47 million 70 million rupees, has only been able to spend 12.54 percent, or 436.1 million rupees, according to Information Officer Kapadi of the Provincial Comptroller Office.

The Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment has spent only 13.88 percent of its 3 billion 32 million 23 million rupee budget. This ministry has spent only 461.4 million rupees by the end of Chaitra.

The Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers has spent 115 million rupees out of a 439.1 million rupee budget, which is 26.19 percent.

Similarly, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has spent 31.55 percent, or 63.3 million rupees, out of a 200.7 million rupee budget.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law has spent 17.94 percent, or 62.1 million rupees, out of a 346.6 million rupee budget.

Out of the 3 billion 44 million 32 million rupees allocated as grants for local levels, 33.97 percent, or 1 billion 17 million rupees, has been disbursed.

According to the data, the highest expenditure percentage is seen in the Provincial Legislature at 58.01 percent, while the Provincial Public Service Commission has spent 39.08 percent of its budget. There has been zero percent expenditure so far from the approximately 590 million rupees allocated for miscellaneous economic purposes.