Kaski. Pokhara—Pokhara Metropolitan City has presented a budget of Rs 7.15 billion for the fiscal year 2083/84.

Pokhara—Deputy Mayor Manju Devi Gurung presented the budget programme at the 19th municipal assembly held at Pokhara City Hall on Monday. The metropolis has reduced the size of the budget for the coming fiscal year with a budget of Rs 8.35 billion. Next year’s budget is Rs 1.19 billion less than the current budget.

The sources of the budget include Rs 2.61 billion from conditional grants, Rs 55 million for special grants, Rs 18.2 million for supplementary grants and Rs 493.7 million for equalization grants. Similarly, the Gandaki Province government has estimated Rs 6 million as supplementary grant, Rs 4 million as special grant and Rs 81.5 million as equalization grant, said deputy mayor Gurung.

The federal government has estimated Rs 343.47 million for revenue sharing, Gandaki Province Rs 40.986 million, local government Rs 1.31 billion and internal source Rs 2.48 billion for revenue allocation.

Deputy Mayor Gurung said that the objective of the budget is to expand the revenue net of the metropolis, increase the economic activities in the tourism capital Pokhara and promote environment-friendly and sustainable urban development.

“Keeping the current expenditure within the desired limit, implementation of revenue reform plan, attracting private sector investment, attracting Pokhara as an international tourism destination and constructing modern garbage treatment plant are the priority areas of the budget,” said Deputy Mayor Gurung.

The metropolis has allocated a budget of Rs 100 million for the protection and management of public land in the metropolis including Firke Khola corridor, Pokhara Bus Park and other public lands.

The metropolis has allocated Rs 555 million for the completion of 61 road projects for infrastructure and urban development. Five crores have been allocated for the reconstruction of Pokhara auditorium. Similarly, Rs 12 million has been allocated for expansion of specialist services at Shishuwa Hospital and Rs 26 million for Gandaki Polytechnic School.

Deputy Mayor Gurung said Rs 150 million has been allocated for the transportation and management of garbage and additional Rs 50 million for the affected areas. A total of Rs 15.25 crore has been allocated for the completion of the remaining works of the under-construction Talchowk-Begnas road.

Likewise, Rs 32.4 million has been allocated for disaster risk reduction and rehabilitation and Rs 30 million for school nurse programme in community schools. The metropolis has allocated Rs 36.8 million for making agriculture modern commercial and competitive by increasing production and productivity while Rs 12.5 million has been allocated for entrepreneurship development, employment generation and innovation.

In the budget program, Rs 60 lakh has been allocated for tourism promotion and another Rs 66 lakh has been allocated for sports tourism. According to KMC, only 40 per cent of the allocated budget has been spent till mid-June in the current fiscal year.

Deputy-Mayor Gurung shared that only Rs 2.16 billion was spent recurrent expenditure and Rs 1.17 billion 8.8 billion in capital expenditure, out of which Rs 3.51 billion was estimated to be current expenditure and Rs 4.83 billion 7.99 million in capital expenditure.