Govt preparing to dole out 60% of total budget to local level; ‘Coordination vital for effective functioning of federalism’

Ramesh Lamsal / Kathmandu, March 16: The government is preparing to allocate more than 60 per cent of the total budget to the local level.

The budget would be managed to the recently-constituted 744 local units, giving authority to independently spend the amount themselves.

Prior to this, the ministries and the bodies concerned used to prepare budget, policy and programmes before giving the amount to the local bodies.

The fresh move is taken for the competitive capacity development of the local level in the fields of development and infrastructure as per the constitution’s provision to make the local level economically strong and independent.

A joint meeting of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice-Chairperson, Members and secretaries at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development and Ministry of Finance held on Thursday also discussed to make plans for doing everything at the local levels expect that of projects of national pride, nationally prioritized projects and other vital projects.

Talking to media after the meeting, NPC Vice Chairperson Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha said that discussions were held to allocate 60 per cent of the total budget to the local level and necessary directive would be taken shortly.

“The ministries and department would look after in case of the mega projects. Budget would be allocated accordingly,” Shrestha said.

As per the provision, certain amount of budget would be sent in education, health, physical infrastructure, drinking water and for other works and the local levels can disburse the amount on their own discretion.

Likewise, the local level would be responsible for the mobilization of means and resources and expedite the development works.

NPC Member Dr Chandra Kanta Poudel said that a huge amount of budget is being sent to the local level to empower and make them more responsible. RSS

‘Coordination vital for effective functioning of federalism’

Meanwhile, lawmakers have argued that federalism cannot foster until the local level, province and federal were strengthened.

At a two-day-long interaction programme organized by the Development Committee of the Parliament in Dhulikhel, the lawmakers said that strong legal frameworks were needed to effectively run the local level.

Currently, the Act prepared on local level’s operation has been forwarded to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs after a discussion in the Development Committee.

Committee President Rabindra Adhikari stated that a study has revealed that nearly 350 rural municipalities were not capable enough to offer salaries to their staff and added that the structure of the rural municipality should be prepared by empowering the local level.

On the occasion, member of the Finance Committee Dipak Prasad Kuinkel said that effective preparations for the local level were needed as the state was synonymous to the local government.

Likewise, lawmaker Pokharel said that the role of the District Coordination Committee was vital for establishing coordination between the local level and province.

Also speaking at the programme, secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development Kedar Bahadur Adhikari said that the local level would be robust due to coordination among the politicians, civil servants and people. RSS