Home Minister Sudhan Gurung Expresses Concern Over Inadequate Budget for Ministry

Kathmandu. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has complained that the budget allocated for the Home Ministry is insufficient.

Speaking at a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee held at Singha Durbar on Thursday, he expressed this concern.

He emphasized the need to increase the budget for effective performance. Home Minister Gurung mentioned that the ministry lacks resources to work on serious issues such as establishing good governance, disaster management, and drug control. Minister Gurung stated that although he worked hard to bring an additional 20 billion rupees beyond the budget ceiling, it is still not enough.

Speaking in the context of disaster management, Minister Gurung said that the cumbersome provisions of the Public Procurement Act cause delays in the purchase of rescue materials. He urged the parliamentarians to help amend the act, stating that completing the 45-day process to purchase heavy-duty drones would mean the monsoon would end. He shared that the ministry plans to adopt preventive measures and personally go for monitoring, learning from past disaster incidents.

He pointed out the need to bring new reform plans, stating that the methods adopted so far for drug control have not been effective. He informed that preparations are underway to stop the source by conducting 'joint operations' in coordination with the Indian security force (SSB) to control drug trafficking, especially from border crossings.

Minister Gurung warned that providing information about drugs in school textbooks could create curiosity among children and said that this matter needs to be approached with serious homework. He expressed the view that everyone should move forward together in the governance of the state, without sides, and pledged to implement the constructive suggestions given by the parliamentarians.