Jumla. The Intensive Urban and Building Project Office in Jumla has returned Rs 750.269 million out of the total capital budget allocated in the last fiscal year 2081÷82 BS.

The federal government had allocated the highest amount for the development of the district. Min Bahadur Gharti Magar, chief of the Office of the Controller of Funds and Accounts, informed that only Rs 903.87 million or 54.64 per cent of the capital budget of Rs 1.63 billion has been spent.

Of the total budget of Rs 16.81 million allocated for the current fiscal year, Rs 11.387 million or 67.74 per cent of the budget has been spent. Out of the total budget of Rs 1.65 billion allocated for current and capital expenditure, Rs 752.69 million has been frozen due to lack of capital expenditure.

According to the office, the budget has been withdrawn as the work of all the projects operating through 76 contracts has not been completed. Chandra Thapa, information officer of the Intensive Urban and Building Project, said that the budget has been withdrawn due to the delay in ensuring the multi-year budget for these projects. Funds of about 30 schemes to be constructed by the consumer committee have also been frozen.

Most of the budget for dolpa and Jumla projects has been withdrawn. According to the Intensive Urban and Building Project, crores of budget has been withdrawn due to lack of utilization of budget in jumla, Kalikot, Mugu, Humla and Dolpa districts of upper Karnali.

Similarly, rs 563.212 million or 78.72 per cent of the budget has been spent on capital expenditure of Rs 715.5 million for the road division office. According to the Office of the Controller of Funds and Accounts, Rs 154.26 million has been returned.