Money
District budget worth Rs1.75 billion frozen
Rs1.75 billion out of the Rs14.26 development budget allocated to district-based government offices last year has been frozen after authorities failed to spend the funds.Shankar Acharya
Rs1.75 billion out of the Rs14.26 development budget allocated to district-based government offices last year has been frozen after authorities failed to spend the funds.
The frozen amount represents 12.30 percent of the government allocated development budget for Parsa district in the last fiscal year.
According to the District Treasury Office, Parsa, authorities were able to spend only 87.69 percent of the total budget of Rs14.26 billion allocated under the headings of regular and capital expenditures.
Office chief Bal Krishna Adhikari said the district received a budget allocation of Rs8.44 billion for administrative expenses, out of which 92.95 percent was spent. Similarly, authorities spent 80.06 percent of the allocated capital expenditure budget worth Rs5.81 billion.
In the previous year, 93.9 percent of the regular expenditure budget of Rs6.26 billion was utilised. Expenditure on development projects reached 58.1 percent in 2016-17.
In 2017-18, the Birgunj-Pathlaiya Commercial Highway Project, Urban Development and Building Office, Postal Highway Project Office, Birgunj Metropolitan Office, Irrigation Division Office, Underground Irrigation Office and Narayani Irrigation Management Division Office were among the major recipients of the capital expenditure budget allocated for the district.
The Postal Highway Project was the best performer with a spending of 99.80 percent. The project received Rs510.04 million under the capital expenditure heading last year.
The Birgunj-Pathlaiya Commercial Highway Project was able to spend 96 percent of its budget allocation. It received Rs1.56 billion. The Narayani Irrigation Management Division Office spent 94.5 percent out of Rs323.3 million. The Birgunj Metropolitan Office spent 90.11 percent out of the allocated amount of Rs1.42 billion.
Likewise, the Urban Development and Building Office and Underground Irrigation Office spent 67 percent and 64.24 percent of the funds respectively.
Adhikari said the utilisation of capital expenditure had improved last year.
The absence of obstacles from locals and timely disbursement of land compensation payments have been cited for the improvement in spending under the development heading.