Bagmati Province Government Allocates NPR 66.93 Billion Budget for Fiscal Year 2083/84

Makwanpur. The Bagmati Province Government has unveiled a budget of NPR 66.93 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget, which reduces the allocation by NPR 544 million compared to the current fiscal year, prioritizes physical infrastructure and good governance.

While the budget for fiscal year 2082/83 focused on policy and procedural reforms, the budget for 2083/84 is more concentrated on good governance, technological application, and programs targeting the underprivileged. Although the province government, which presented a budget of NPR 67.47 billion for the current fiscal year, has slightly reduced the budget size for the upcoming year, there are qualitative changes in the capital expenditure (development) share and strategic programs.

In the current fiscal year, the budget comprised 38.60 percent for current expenditure and 61.40 percent for capital expenditure. Although the budget size for the upcoming fiscal year has shrunk by approximately 0.81 percent compared to the previous year, the share of capital expenditure has been increased to 65.69 percent, while the government's administrative expenses have been reduced.

The economic growth rate of Bagmati Province was estimated to be 5.18 percent in fiscal year 2082/83, while the budget for 2083/84 aims to achieve an economic growth of 7.5 percent. In terms of per capita income, it is projected to increase from USD 2,601 in 2082/83 to USD 2,644 in 2083/84.

The budget for fiscal year 2082/83 attempted to lay the foundation for a 'Digital Province'. In 2083/84, this initiative has been further expanded with programs such as 'Hello CM Desk', 'Smart Teaching', and 'Online Project Monitoring System'.

While the budget for fiscal year 2082/83 included provisions for health insurance and elderly care, the budget for 2083/84 allocates NPR 200 million for the 'Chief Minister's Underprivileged Housing Program' to provide safe housing to one thousand families. The 'One Ward One Agricultural Product' program from the current fiscal year has also been continued in the budget for 2083/84. The 'Chief Minister's Youth Employment Program', which provides interest subsidies to youth returning from abroad and those residing in the country, appears to be a common priority for both years.

The construction of Hetauda's ring road, Gauritar stadium, and integrated administrative building has been advanced as provincial pride projects in both fiscal years. The budget for 2083/84 has introduced a new package of NPR 438 million, the 'Chief Minister's Road with Entrepreneurship Program', specifically linking infrastructure with production.

Dozens of Old Programs 'Disappeared'

While the Bagmati government is attempting to make a new leap in good governance and technology through the budget for fiscal year 2083/84, some important and strategic plans from the previous year have been removed from priority. Dozens of programs in the agriculture, tourism, and social sectors, which were launched with much fanfare in the previous budget, are not included in the budget for the upcoming year.

The budget for fiscal year 2082/83 had a plan to establish pesticide residue testing laboratories based on information technology in 16 local levels. However, the continuity or expansion of this program is not included in the budget for 2083/84. The previous budget had allocated NPR 60 million for the establishment of modern slaughterhouses in Kathmandu and Dhading. These specific plans do not appear to be a priority in the upcoming year's budget.

Infrastructure plans to develop 'Film City' in Dolkha and construct industrial villages in various local levels have not been included in the upcoming year's budget. There was a program to identify poor households based on the human development index, distribute identity cards, and improve income generation based on that. While the upcoming year's budget emphasizes 'Underprivileged Housing', the original plan of distributing poverty identity cards does not seem to be continued.

In fiscal year 2082/83, a separate allocation of NPR 50 million was made to digitize all services of the transport office and develop a system with QR codes. Although the upcoming year talks about 'Hello CM Desk' and 'Faceless Services', the achievement and continuity of old technical improvement plans appear weak.

Programs Lost in the Budget

1. Target to establish pesticide testing laboratories in 16 local levels of the province

2. Plan to establish modern slaughterhouses in Kathmandu and Dhading.

3. Plan to develop Dangdunge Danda in Dolkha as Film City.

4. Plan to distribute poverty identity cards based on human development index

5. Declared industrial villages such as Shivapuri in Nuwakot, Indrawati in Sindhupalchok, and other areas.

What's New?

The upcoming year's budget aims to address citizens' problems and grievances within 7 days through the 'Hello CM Desk' to be established in the Chief Minister's Office. To prevent delays in development work, the government is launching the 'Online Project Monitoring System' for the first time. Progress of plans can be tracked live from mobile or computer, and the 'Smart Teaching' concept in the education sector has been included as a new plan in the budget.

The government is introducing a new model not only to build roads but also to start production where roads reach. Through the 'Chief Minister's Road with Entrepreneurship Program', NPR 438 million has been allocated in coordination with the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Tourism to promote industries and businesses along the roadsides. A separate 'Health Center' is being established in Hetauda-16, Shaktidanda, for treatment through yoga and self-awareness, the 'Postnatal Nutrition Program' to reduce malnutrition in mothers and newborns, and the 'One District One Collection and Processing Center' to brand local agricultural products. The 'Apprenticeship: Learn and Do' program has been launched with the objective of providing employment to youth within the country.

The plan to construct pedestrian-friendly roads with cycle lanes and an integrated administrative building under the 'Greater Hetauda' concept to manage the provincial capital Hetauda has been brought forward with priority in a new form. The government's budget includes the continuity of the Bagmati Shiva Circuit project under the 'Great Bagmati Parikrama' plan, which connects 64 Shivlings for religious tourism, to reduce the cost of tax collection and bring transparency by implementing a digital revenue system, and to build a provincial data system from a separate data center to keep data secure and organized.