Kathmandu. All universities have approved the budget and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year 2020/21 before the start of the new fiscal year under the initiative of Prime Minister and Chancellor KP Sharma Oli.

This is perhaps for the first time that all universities and institutes of health sciences have passed the budget at the same time in a way that is conducive to the economic cleanliness of the universities and the provisions related to the country’s parliamentary democratic system and the existing economic act. The 78th meeting of Nepal Sanskrit University and the 18th meeting of Lumbini Buddhist University were held on July 15, the last day of the current fiscal year. A meeting of the Medical Education Commission has also been scheduled today.

The senate meeting of four universities was held on a single day on July 29. On the same day, the 13th meeting of Sudurpaschim University, 41st meeting of Purvanchal University, 15th meeting of Patan Academy of Health Sciences and 14th meeting of Agriculture and Forestry University were held.

Similarly, the 17th meeting of Mid-Western University, 10th meeting of Rajarshi Janak University, Annual General Meeting of Tribhuvan University on July 29 and 25th meeting of Pokhara University on July 15 have been held. Earlier, meetings of Kathmandu University, Rapti Academy of Health Sciences and Karnali Academy of Health Sciences have already been held.

Prof Dr Deepak Aryal was appointed vice-chancellor of Tribhuvan University (TU) only on July 15 and the policy programme has been postponed in the Senate on July 15 and brought to the next meeting soon.

It has proved to be the first educational phenomenon in the country that all universities (academies) have organized such a meeting of the university even at a short notice for mandatory approval from the upcoming fiscal year budget and program senate meeting before the start of the new fiscal year.

At the same time, the process of keeping budgets and programs without ensuring the resources of these universities has also been stopped. In the event that some universities have proposed a deficit budget, the revised proposal has been passed under the guidance of Vice Chancellor Oli, Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Education, Science and Technology Raghuji Panta.

At the same time, the practice of not auditing for a long time and not submitting the report to the assembly and not being disposed of for a long time has also been discouraged. Vice-Chancellor Oli has made it clear that the budget, which was not approved before the fiscal year, will not be approved later.

Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Ghanashyam Upadhyay said it was very positive that prime minister and chancellor Oli had directed all the universities to implement only the approved budget before July 15.

He said that this would also help in expanding coordination in the budget and programs by improving the contact and relations between the government and the university and would also help in audit. Vice-Chancellor of The Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Prof Dr Sharda Thapaliya said that such a directive from the Vice-Chancellor would give them energy to implement the academic calendar and maintain good governance.

In the past, even after the start of the financial year, the annual budget and programs were presented and passed, due to the vacancy of the officials of some universities and the senate meeting could not be held due to disputes. This year, Prime Minister and Chancellor Oli had repeatedly instructed to pass the budget for the upcoming fiscal year within this fiscal year from six women earlier.

Prime Minister Oli’s official visit to Spain for the fourth Conference on Finance for United Nations Development in the second week of June, regular other activities after returning home, political meetings, disaster of flash flood in Rasuwagadhi and busy programs in his home district Jhapa have kept the senate of the universities and institutions where he is the Chancellor.