Far-West Government Faces Widespread Criticism Over 37.7 Billion Budget

Dhangadhi. The Far-West Provincial Government has presented a budget of 37.7 billion for the upcoming financial year (2081/082). This budget is facing widespread opposition and criticism.

Due to the controversy, the budget has not yet been tabled in the Provincial Assembly. Even MPs from the ruling coalition party UML and the Chief Minister's own party Nepali Congress are criticizing the budget.

There is a constitutional obligation to present the budget on Asar 1. Discussions were held throughout the day on the budget issue among the ruling coalition parties due to disagreements over power-sharing. Claiming an agreement was reached, the budget was presented in the Provincial Assembly at midnight. Ruling and opposition MPs are protesting, stating that the budget presented at midnight has many flaws.

Khagaraj Bhatta, the leader of the main opposition party, the Nepali Communist Party, in the Far-West Provincial Assembly, has called this budget a stain on history. He warned that this budget would not be passed under any circumstances.

Bhatta accused that this budget was prepared by middlemen and brokers in hotels, not by ministry staff and experts. He also mentioned finding some strange things in the budget.

'Ward number 12 does not exist in Jayaprithvi Municipality of Bajhang, but the government has sent a budget there. Sending a budget to a non-existent place is a direct intention of corruption. The Ministry of Social Development is distributing sanitary pads, but that program has been placed under the Ministry of Agriculture. Such technical errors clearly show how haphazardly the budget has been prepared,' he said.

Bhatta also accused the Chief Minister of piling up billions worth of projects only in his constituency and leaving other districts empty.

'This budget cannot be corrected. It must be completely scrapped and brought through a new process. A budget brought to fulfill the interests of middlemen rather than the needs of the people is unacceptable to us,' he said.

The ruling coalition party, CPN-UML, has complained that they were sidelined in the budget preparation. UML Parliamentary Party leader Rajendra Singh Rawal has publicly opposed the budget and announced a decision to register an amendment proposal.

According to Rawal, there is a major discrepancy in the size and source of the budget. 'It was said that a budget of 27 billion would come to the assembly. Suddenly, it was increased to 37.7 billion. The ceiling of the ministries has been reduced, but how did the overall budget increase?' he questioned.

Rawal expressed anger, stating that the budget for the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure has been cut by 5 billion, but money is being poured into the projects of the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister.

According to Rawal, all parties in the province had jointly submitted a common commitment paper to the Chief Minister. It included priorities for poverty, hunger, and development in the Far-West. He said that no one knows where that commitment paper disappeared when the budget was presented. 'We are not bargaining, we are seeking the rule of law,' Rawal said.

MPs from the Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah's own party, Nepali Congress, have also stood against the budget. Congress MP Diwansingh Bist said that the distribution system of the budget is unjust.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the widespread criticism of the budget and demanded that the budget be corrected. 'Where there is influence, there are billions worth of projects. Where development is truly needed, where there are no roads and drinking water, there is not a single rupee,' he said.

Bist also said that there is great confusion within the Congress itself about who prepared this budget and how. It appears to be a major challenge for the government to get the budget passed by the assembly when even the MPs from the ruling side are not satisfied. Bist stated that the matter is currently under discussion and will proceed after the discussion.

The government had stated in its own working procedure that small projects of less than 25 lakh would not be included. However, many small projects of 5 lakh and 10 lakh have been included in the budget. Dissatisfied MPs from Congress allege that these projects have been brought to favor cadres and target elections.

सुदूरपश्चिममा बजेटको विषयलाई लिएर बबाल

Similarly, only 50 lakh has been allocated for the tourism sector, which is considered the backbone of Far-West's development. However, MPs have expressed dissatisfaction, stating that crores have been allocated for building small temples and walls in areas close to ministers.

'The official budget book has not yet reached the hands of the MPs, but the details that have come out have already created a stir in the province,' said Nepali Communist Party Parliamentary Party leader Khagaraj Bhatta.

The opposition has warned that they will not allow the assembly to function until the budget is corrected, while the ruling coalition UML has stated that they will not support it if the budget is not amended. With MPs from their own party also standing against it, the government faces increased challenges in passing the budget.