Sudurpaschim province records just 2 percent capital expenditure in five months

Dhangadhi: Even after five months of the current fiscal year, budget expenditure by the Sudurpaschim Province government has remained weak, with capital spending particularly low, adversely affecting development and construction activities.

According to the Provincial Accounts Controller’s Office, the provincial government has spent only 2 percent of its total capital budget by mid-Mangsir. Of the total capital allocation of Rs 19.83 billion, only Rs 431.10 million has been spent in five months, informed Provincial Accounts Controller Basudev Joshi. During the same period of the previous fiscal year, capital expenditure had reached 7 percent.

Current expenditure has also fallen short of expectations. The provincial government allocated Rs 13.63 billion for current expenditure, of which 15.45 percent, or Rs 2.10 billion, has been spent by mid-Mangsir. Overall, the government’s total expenditure during this period stands at Rs 2.53 billion 6.88 million, which is around 7 percent of the total budget. The provincial government had introduced a total budget of Rs 33.476 billion for the current fiscal year.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, which accounts for nearly half of the province’s total budget, has also shown slow progress. Out of its total allocation of Rs 15.321 billion, the ministry has so far spent only Rs 355.94 million on capital expenditure and Rs 1.43422 billion on current expenditure. Similarly, the Ministry of Social Development, which has the second-largest budget, has made limited progress. Of its Rs 7.55297 billion budget, only Rs 854.739 million has been spent by mid-Mangsir.

The Provincial Accounts Controller’s Office stated that the budget implementation status of other ministries is also disappointing. The provincial government has attributed the slow pace of budget expenditure mainly to delays in the initial implementation of most programs and the damage caused to ministries and their subordinate offices during the Gen-G movement.

Provincial Minister for Economic Affairs Bahadur Singh Thapa said that budget expenditure was affected due to management difficulties arising from damage to offices during the Gen-G movement.