Sudurpashchim Province Budget Includes Small Projects Despite CM's Pledge

Dhangadhi. Before presenting the budget, Sudurpashchim Province Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah had said, 'The provincial government will no longer scatter the budget on small and fragmented projects.' He had pledged not to include projects costing less than at least 2.5 million rupees in the budget and to focus only on large projects for the development of the province.

However, the project and program list published by the provincial government for the upcoming financial year (2083/084) contains projects contrary to the Chief Minister's commitments.

An all-party meeting held on the evening of Sunday, Jestha 17, had agreed not to provide budget for any such projects, discouraging the practice of merging small projects and showing a large cost to demand budget. According to the 'Provincial Project Selection Criteria 2083', the Sudurpashchim Province government had decided to implement only projects costing at least 2.5 million rupees.

Previously, there was a practice of merging many small projects under a single heading to reach a cost of 2.5 million rupees for budget allocation. This had created complexities in implementation. It was decided that this artificial cost inflation practice would be completely stopped from the next year.

The meeting had clarified that the province itself would not operate projects costing less than 2.5 million rupees. Chief Minister Shah had informed that if a plan required a budget of less than 2.5 million rupees, it would be financially transferred to the local level as conditional grants with an action plan.

The provincial government had also put forward some arrangements to ensure transparency in budget allocation. It was decided not to allocate budget by specifying individuals, groups, private firms, or companies.

Similarly, the government had decided that no project to be implemented by the provincial government would be operated through consumer committees. Although the government had said it would not include fragmented projects in the budget as per the all-party agreement, the budget book showed the exact opposite. The budget book contains numerous projects costing 50,000, 100,000, and 200,000 rupees. The government, which set a limit of 2.5 million rupees, has even included projects for road and building construction costing 52,000 rupees in the ministry-wise budget.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure also has a pile of such fragmented projects. According to analyst and former professor Motiram Bhatta, 52,000 rupees is not even enough to start work on any road or building. Such projects are being heavily criticized as merely a means of distributing budget to political activists.

Even the ruling coalition parties are dissatisfied, accusing the Chief Minister of not implementing his own decisions. Rajendra Rawal, leader of the CPN-UML parliamentary party, a ruling coalition party, has objected, stating that the government has brought the budget by violating policies and norms. He accused ministers of including small projects in the budget only to benefit their constituencies and cronies.

Similarly, Om Bikram Bhat, a Member of Parliament from the main opposition party, the Communist Party of Nepal, in the Sudurpashchim Province Assembly, said that the government's actions are contrary to its words.

He stated that although it was decided in the all-party agreement not to include projects under 2.5 million rupees, finding more than 1100 projects costing less than 500,000 rupees in the red book raises serious questions about the government's intentions.

The general public is also angry about this work of the government. Local Ramesh BK from Bajhang said that although the government made a good decision, it could not implement it. He stated that fragmented projects of 50,000 rupees cannot develop the village.

BK added that the administrative and technical costs of implementing a 50,000 rupee project would exceed that amount.

There is now widespread pressure on the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister to correct the red book. Even MPs from the ruling party say that if this budget is not revised, they will not allow the budget to be passed in Sudurpashchim.