Kathmandu, July 21: Thirteen local levels failed to unveil the budget for the current fiscal year. Out of total 753 local levels, 740 have made the budget public and even forwarded the process for implementation.
The details entered by the local levels on the portal maintained by the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration, showed that 10 local governments of Madhes Province were yet to present budgets.
Such laggards are Sukhipur Municipality of Siraha, Aurahi Rural Municipality and Kamala Municipality of Dhanusha, and Garuda Municipality, Katahariya Municipality, Fatuwa Bijaypur Municipality, Maulapur Municipality and Yamunamai Rural Municipality of Rautahat. Others in the list are Chhipaharamai Rural Municipality and Pakaha Mainpur Rural Municipality of Parsa.
Dharan Sub-metropolitan City of Koshi Province, Rupandehi Kotahimai Rural Municipality of Lumbini Province and Shuddhodhan Rural Municipality of Kapalivastu also failed to unveil the budget.
In Koshi Province, 136 out of 137 local levels have launched budgets. All local levels of Bagmati Province, Gandaki Province, Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province were able to make public their budgets by the end of Asar (before the beginning of present fiscal year).
The constitutional provision mandates that the federal government makes public the budget every year on Jestha 15, while the provincial government on Asar 1 and the budget of the local level throughout the month of Asar as per Nepali calendar.
The local levels have argued that they could not bring the budget on time owing to political disputes and technical problems.
