Lumbini.The Lumbini state government is going to present the budget for the next fiscal year 2083/84 in the state assembly on Monday, June 1.
Economic Affairs and Planning Minister Dhanendra Karki will present the budget in the ninth meeting under the eighth session of the Provincial Assembly at 5:00 pm.
The state government has prepared to present the budget keeping in mind the limited resources, increasing responsibilities and inadequate work of development and construction, paying the responsibility, state pride projects, multi-year and sequential plans as high priority. The government is preparing to focus on production growth, job creation, infrastructure development, good governance and social justice in the upcoming budget.
The government has given priority to modernization of agricultural sector, expansion of irrigation, organic farming, local and Raithane crop protection, branding of agricultural products and value chain development. It is said that the policy of increasing agricultural production, import substitution and export promotion will be included in the budget.
The budget will also give special importance to the plan to create jobs through skill training, startup, self-employment and innovation promotion programs aimed at the youth. In the health sector, it is planned to continue concessions in hospital upgrading, expansion of specialist services, cancer, kidney transplant and heart disease treatment. It is expected that technical education, information technology friendly teaching system and sports infrastructure development programs will be included in the education sector.
The government has stated that the policy of completing incomplete and multi-year projects towards infrastructure development, increasing the effectiveness of capital expenditure and continuing projects of provincial pride will be in the budget. It is also said that priority will be given to digital governance, simplification of service delivery and financial discipline.
The budget also aims to make the province’s economy viable through maximum utilization of tourism, industry, energy and local resources. In particular, the program to develop Lumbini as an international religious and health tourism center is planned to be continued.
For the current financial year 2082/83, the provincial government had brought a budget of Rs 38.91 billion. Out of this budget, Rs 23.47 billion was allocated for capital expenditure and Rs. 15.43 billion for current expenditure. This time, the state government is preparing to bring a budget of around Rs 38 billion.
It is said that the upcoming budget has been prepared based on the second periodic plan of the state government, sustainable development goals and the long-term thinking of ‘Prosperous Lumbini: Happy Citizens’.