Karnali Ministry Allocates Budget Disproportionately, Favoring Minister's Home District

Surkhet. Regardless of the policies, methods, and procedures made in Karnali regarding project selection and budget allocation, the tendency to pour budget into the areas and districts of the powerful has persisted. The budget is being distributed based on the minister and influence rather than the geography and needs of the concerned district, which is contrary to the principles of budget distribution. This is exemplified by the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development here. Finance Minister Rajiv Vikram Shah has increased the budget for this ministry by approximately 1 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. While the budget for the current year is 3.83 billion, this ministry has been allocated a budget of 4.81 billion, 95 million, and 86 thousand for the upcoming year (2083/084). Of this, 3.34 billion, 87 million, and 55 thousand have been allocated for development, while the rest has been allocated for conditional and current expenditures. However, the departmental minister and big leaders have a dominance in the budget and projects provided by the ministry to the districts. Looking at the budget and projects given to 10 districts, departmental minister Vijaya Budha has allocated more than two hundred projects in her home district Humla alone. Humla is also the home district of former Chief Minister and Congress Parliamentary Party leader Jeevan Bahadur Shahi. Shahi himself had made Budha the minister. The number of projects in Humla is more than in the other two Himalayan districts, Mugu and Dolpa. The condition of the three Himalayan districts is similar in terms of development and geography. In terms of budget distribution, it is also more than in Mugu and Dolpa combined. Humla has received 12.14 percent of the total budget, amounting to 58.51 million and 82 thousand rupees. Minister Budha has distributed 56.17 crore rupees for development projects alone in Humla, out of 220 projects. The budget received by Humla is the highest after Surkhet. In Surkhet, there are about 160 projects from this ministry, with an allocation of 67.09 million and 90 thousand rupees for those projects, and a total of 71.48 million and 86 thousand rupees received. Surkhet is the largest district in terms of population. It is also the home district of Chief Minister Yamlal Kandel and a district with 4 constituencies in the provincial assembly. The budget in Surkhet appears high due to many multi-year projects. However, in terms of new projects and priorities, Humla is in the first place. More Budget in Humla and Surkhet than in the 4 Districts of Old Karnali. Only Surkhet and Humla have been allocated 26.97 percent of the ministry's total budget, amounting to 1.30 billion and 68 thousand rupees. This is more than in Mugu, Jumla, Kalikot, and Dolpa of old Karnali. These four districts have received 22.53 percent of the total budget. Among the 10 districts, Jumla has received the least budget (5.01 percent). Jumla has been given about 100 projects, with a development budget of 21.50 million and a total budget of 24.16 million and 13 thousand rupees. Kalikot, with more than 120 projects, has been given a capital budget of 27.85 million and a total of 29.57 million (6.14 percent). Mugu has about 75 projects. A capital budget of 23.50 million has been given, and with the remaining current expenditure, a budget of 29.77 million has been allocated. This is only 6.18 percent of the ministry's total budget. Dolpa has about 80 projects. A development budget of 23.15 million and a total budget of 25.03 million and 97 thousand (5.20 percent of the total budget) has been allocated. More Budget in Salyan than in Dailekh, which has the second-highest population after Surkhet. In terms of population, Dailekh is the second district after Surkhet, and it has 4 constituencies in the provincial assembly. However, Salyan, with two provincial assembly constituencies and developing in terms of development, has received 9.64 percent of the total budget, ranking third, while Dailekh has received only 7.82 percent. Salyan has about 115 projects. A capital budget of 30.29 million and 75 thousand rupees has been allocated for these projects, and a total of 46.48 million and 18 thousand rupees has been given. Dailekh, with more than 170 projects, has been allocated a total budget of 37.70 million and 33 thousand rupees, including a development budget of 35.04 million and a current expenditure of 2.63 million and 33 thousand rupees. Salyan is the district of Suresh Adhikari, who is the Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest, and Environment from Congress. Jajarkot has more than 130 projects, with a development budget of 25.80 million and a total budget of 28.95 million and 23 thousand rupees. Similarly, Rukum West has more than 129 projects and a budget of 31.10 million rupees. This ministry has allocated 79.42 percent of the total budget to district offices, with the remainder kept within the ministry. Budget for Private Radio in Minister's Home District. Minister Vijaya Budha has allocated a budget of 25 lakhs to Kailash FM, a private radio station in her home district Humla. Sources say that the FM belongs to a person close to her party. Ministry's Information Officer Sagar Acharya says that the budget given for the solar project is unlikely to be implemented. He told Ratopati,