Sudurpaschim Province Government Faces Pressure for Budget Inclusion Amidst Reforms

Dhangadhi. As preparations are underway to present the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a crowd of people carrying files has thronged various ministries and the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers' office in the Sudurpaschim Province, demanding that their local plans be included.

A thick presence of people can be seen at the gates of the Chief Minister's Office, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other offices before 10 AM. Some come with bags full of files, while others appear confident, saying, 'The matter has already been discussed upstairs.' As the province government is busy preparing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (2083/084), the main challenges appear to be satisfying the cadres and dispelling the stigma of past plan purchases.

In previous years, plans were sold based on commissions, plans were inserted through backdoors even after the 'red book' (budget document) was printed, and plans favored by the influential received priority, leading to severe criticism of the Sudurpaschim Province government. Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah, however, claims that there will be no 'settings' in this budget.

Chief Minister Shah also admits that there is pressure to include plans from various districts. However, he argues that the system will prevent such pressures.

'We have just passed the project selection criteria yesterday to make plan selection and implementation systematic. Now, plans will be included in the budget based on criteria, not on the basis of influence,' he said.

The crowd of ordinary citizens and cadres found in the ministry challenges the Chief Minister's claim. Sources indicate that cadres from various districts are pressuring to get their plans included in the 'red book' at any cost.

Chief Minister Shah also admits that there is pressure to include plans from various districts. However, he argues that the system will prevent such pressures.

'It is natural for local representatives and MPs to be concerned about the development of their areas,' said Chief Minister Shah. 'We have created a specific process and criteria that will prevent the tendency of arbitrary plan selection.'

In the past, during budget preparation, there used to be a proliferation of intermediaries colluding with employees and political leadership in the ministries. In some cases, it was alleged that even confidential information of the ministry and budget ceilings were manipulated at the behest of intermediaries.

Chief Minister Shah, however, claims that the influence of intermediaries has been reduced to zero during his tenure. 'Since I became Chief Minister, the influence of intermediaries has significantly decreased. We are committed to stopping it completely. After the budget is presented, it will be evident factually that no 'setting' or financial transaction has found a place this time,' he said.

Another major problem in Sudurpaschim is the thousands of fragmented plans worth 5-10 lakhs, which consume the budget but yield no results. According to Chief Minister Shah, this time the government has prioritized large and prestigious projects, health, education, agriculture, and tourism infrastructure.

'We have already given clear instructions to the offices on how to move forward with ongoing projects,' he said. He stated that the budget ceiling for the upcoming fiscal year will be somewhat constrained due to the contraction seen in the province's revenue collection and the cut in grants from the center.