Karnali Province utilizes only 61.97 percent of annual budget

Surkhet: The Karnali Provincial Government has utilized only 61.97 percent of its total budget in the current fiscal year.

According to Ratna Subedi, head of the Provincial Auditor’s Office, out of the total budget of Rs. 33.19 billion 193.655 million, only Rs. 20.57 billion 128 thousand 378 has been spent. The remaining Rs. 12.62 billion 2446 thousand 622 has been transferred to the state’s main account due to non-expenditure.

The data shows that out of the current expenditure budget of Rs. 12.59 billion 4317 thousand, Rs. 9.25 billion 4381 thousand 675 has been spent, which accounts for 73.48 percent. However, only Rs. 11.13 billion 9326 thousand 703 has been spent from the capital expenditure budget of Rs. 19.98 billion 4338 thousand, limiting progress to 55.74 percent.

Similarly, Rs. 177 million 75 million, or 28.86 percent, has been spent from the financial management budget of Rs. 615 million.

Among ministries and offices, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law recorded the highest budget expenditure at 93.67 percent.

Likewise, the Office of the Chief Advocate spent 88.09 percent of its allocated budget, while 86.17 percent of the budget allocated for local levels was utilized. The Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development spent 75.98 percent, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning 74.08 percent, the Ministry of Social Development 72.49 percent and the Karnali Province Planning Commission 69.86 percent.

The Provincial Legislature utilized 67.53 percent of its budget, while the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment spent 64.27 percent, the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives 57.09 percent, the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers 55.24 percent and the Province Public Service Commission 52.82 percent.

The lowest budget progress was recorded by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development. Out of the allocated budget of Rs. 11.121 billion 070 million, only Rs. 5.418 billion 115 million 417 was spent, limiting the ministry’s expenditure progress to 49.20 percent.

Similarly, 28.86 percent of the financial management budget was spent, while none of the Rs. 9.867 million 999 thousand allocated under the Finance-Miscellaneous heading was utilized.

Although the provincial government showed comparatively better progress in current expenditure, the figures indicate that capital expenditure directly linked to development and construction could not reach the expected level, affecting overall budget implementation. The provincial government has frozen Rs. 12.622 billion 246 million 622 in the current fiscal year, with a larger share coming from capital expenditure.

The expenditure data shows that the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development, which is responsible for infrastructure development in Karnali, could not utilize the expected budget.

Similarly, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment had a budget of Rs. 2.427 billion 998 million and spent Rs. 1.565 billion 300 million.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development, with a budget of Rs. 3.83 billion, spent Rs. 2.91 billion.

The Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives had a budget of Rs. 2.57 billion and spent Rs. 1.46 billion.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law, with a budget of Rs. 7.91 billion, spent Rs. 6.64 billion.

The Ministry of Social Development, which had a budget of Rs. 5.97 billion, spent Rs. 4.32 billion.

The Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, with a total budget of Rs. 6.66 billion, spent Rs. 3.37 billion.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning had a budget of Rs. 2.13 billion and spent Rs. 1.49 billion.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development spent Rs. 5.41 billion from its total budget of Rs. 11.11 billion in the current fiscal year.