Pokhara Metropolitan City Faces Payment Issues, Budget Reduced

Pokhara. There is a problem in paying for the projects operated in Pokhara Metropolitan City this year. The metropolitan city has stated that the payment liability for next year will be around 50 crore. Pokhara Metropolitan City has come under pressure due to lower than expected internal revenue.

The metropolitan city is preparing to pay for the projects that have been completed and are yet to be paid for by including them in the red book as new projects for next year, informed Chief Administrative Officer Muktiram Aryal. He said that due to this liability burden, many new projects will not be constructed next year.

The metropolitan city has already presented the budget for next year in the Municipal Assembly. The budget proposed for next year is about one and a quarter billion less than the previous year. The metropolitan city had presented a budget of 8.35 billion for implementation in the current financial year in June. Now, a budget of only 7.15 billion, which is 1.20 billion less, has been brought.

The projection of internal revenue has been reduced the most. While 3.01 billion was projected as internal revenue last year, only 1.40 billion is expected to be earned. Only 2.48 billion has been proposed for next year.

All five local levels of Kaski have presented their budgets for the financial year 2083/084. Within the deadline of Asar 10 set by federal law, Pokhara Metropolitan City and all four rural municipalities presented the income and expenditure details for the next year in their respective assemblies. This year, local levels have given more emphasis on infrastructure development. Besides this, significant budgets have also been allocated in the education, health, agriculture, and social sectors.

Among the rural municipalities, Machhapuchhre brought the largest budget of 70 crore 46 lakh. Machhapuchhre presented a budget of 48 crore 77 lakh for current expenditure and 21 crore 69 lakh for capital expenditure. Similarly, Annapurna prepared a budget of 65 crore 50 lakh, allocating 48 crore 5 lakh for current expenditure and 17 crore 44 lakh for capital expenditure. Madi allocated 46 crore 97 lakh for current expenditure and 18 crore 14 lakh for capital expenditure in its budget of 65 crore 12 lakh. Rupa Rural Municipality brought a budget of 55 crore 38 lakh, allocating 41 crore 82 lakh for current expenditure and 13 crore 55 lakh for capital expenditure.

The budget of all local levels is mostly focused on grants from the upper government. Pokhara Metropolitan City estimates to receive 6.69 billion from the federal government under various headings, and 22.39 crore from the provincial government. Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality will receive 55.03 crore from the federal government and 2.16 crore from the provincial government, while Madi will receive approximately 53 crore from the federal government and over 2 crore from the provincial government. Rupa Rural Municipality will receive 46.71 crore from the federal government and 2.74 crore from the provincial government, and Annapurna estimates to receive 58.44 crore from the federal government and 3.39 crore from the provincial government.

In addition, Machhapuchhre's internal revenue is projected to be 4.60 crore, Annapurna's 3.50 crore, Madi's 1.11 crore, and Rupa's 1.27 crore. While Pokhara Metropolitan City is under payment pressure, the budgets of other local levels are not being spent at all. Almost all local levels have considered the unspent amount of the current year as a major source for the next year in the form of reserves. Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality will have a reserve of 5.76 crore, while Annapurna has an estimated reserve of only 1.6 lakh. Madi Rural Municipality will have a reserve of 6.31 crore, while Rupa has an estimated reserve of 4.62 crore. Pokhara Metropolitan City has not estimated any reserve in its budget. However, it is estimated that about 20 crore of the current year's reserve will be carried over to the next year.

Almost all local levels have given special emphasis on infrastructure. Annapurna Rural Municipality has allocated about 11.5 crore rupees of its capital budget to infrastructure. Similarly, Rupa Rural Municipality has allocated 11 crore 18 lakh 51 thousand rupees for physical infrastructure including roads, bridges, and administrative buildings, while Pokhara Metropolitan City has set aside 72.40 crore rupees for projects to be implemented by ward offices.

In the education sector, all local levels have adopted innovative policies this time. Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality has allocated 60 lakh rupees for midday meals for students from class 6 to 12, while Annapurna Rural Municipality has decided to add 5 rupees to the 20 rupees per person midday meal set by the federal government. Annapurna has made a provision of a 5 lakh incentive allowance for schools that achieve 100% results in SEE. To ensure that the teaching at schools is not disrupted when female teachers are on 98 days of maternity leave, Machhapuchhre and Madi Rural Municipalities have made arrangements for substitute teachers from their internal resources.

In terms of promoting agriculture and indigenous products, Madi Rural Municipality has adopted a policy of branding, quality improvement, and marketing of local indigenous Gundruk. Rupa Rural Municipality has allocated 1 crore 80 lakh for integrated agricultural development with the slogan