All seven provinces announced their respective annual budget for the next fiscal year on Sunday, focusing on the development of infrastructure and agriculture sectors. The combined budget for the next fiscal year amounted to Rs269.57 billion, up from Rs206.77 billion.

The budget of the provincial governments is based on the grant provided by the federal government and the revenue collected from the local levels. There is a constitutional provision for the provincial governments to announce their budget a month before the new fiscal year that begins in mid-July.

Province 1 has announced a budget of Rs42.20 billion for the next fiscal year, up from Rs35.9 billion in the current fiscal year. Of this amount, Rs18.45 billion has been earmarked for recurrent expenditure, Rs23.57 billion for capital expenditure and Rs80 million for financing provision.

The Province 1 budget has proposed development of an expressway to connect the Everest Base Camp, the country’s highest point in the north with the lowest point [70 metres above sea level] at Kechana Kalan in Jhapa district.

The budget has proposed constructing Dharan-Mulghat tunnel way in the Koshi highway. The budget has proposed preparing a feasibility study of water transportation in the Koshi River. The budget announced providing loans without collateral for students from poor families pursuing a MBBS.

The budget also announced leave travel concession to employees working at the province to promote Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign. Under the scheme, employees will get Rs25,000 and a combined leave of six days to visit different parts of the country.

Province 2 has announced budget of Rs38.72 billion for the next fiscal year, up from Rs30 billion. Presenting the budget, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Bijay Kumar Yadav said they have allocated Rs393.5 million to undertake women literacy programme ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ [save the daughter, educate the daughter).

The campaign was also launched by India in 2015. The province 2 government has allocated Rs480 million to provide Rs500 for each student from the Dalit and marginalised community. Students from class 1 to 8 will get the cash incentives.

It has targeted to spend Rs490 million for the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation programme and Rs200 million for the chief minister agriculture promotion programme. The provincial government has planned to construct a modal hospital in each district. For this, it has allocated Rs300 million.

Province 3 has announced budget of Rs47.60 billion for the 2019-20 fiscal year, the highest among all provinces. Of the total budget, Rs24.46 billion has been allocated for recurrent expenses and Rs22.83 billion in capital expenses.

The province government has announced the establishment of a multi-technology school, upgrading Hetauda Hospital to Madan Bhandari Health and Science Academy and providing scholarship to students from marginalised groups and backward community and the mountainous region. It has targeted to launch ‘Chhori-Buhari Scholarship Programme’ [Daughter and Daughter-in-law scholarship] to promote women education.

The province 3 government also announced the construction of Bhimphedi-Kulekhani tunnel highway, establishment of one industrial village in each constituency and construction of province level ring road. It will be providing grant of Re1 per litre of milk to farmers and providing one percent subsidy on the loan taken by the farmers, farmer’s group or agriculture cooperative in a bid to encourage commercial farming.

Gandaki Province has announced the annual budget of Rs32.13 billion for the next fiscal year. The Gandaki province has allocated Rs2.09 billion to provide irrigation coverage. To achieve 100 percent literacy rate within the next two years, the province has allocated Rs50 million. In order to provide clean drinking water, the province has allocated Rs2.2 billion.

The province has announced ‘one house, one tap’ programme to provide clean drinking water access to all of its population. The Gandaki province has allocated Rs60 million to install solar lights in around 1,500 households of Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, Gorkha and Lamjung districts. Similarly, Rs510 million has been allocated for rural electrification in 32 local units. It has allocated Rs180 million to promote Annapurna Circuit, Dhaulagiri trekking trail, Millennium trek including others.

Province 5 unveiled a budget of Rs36.41 billion for fiscal year 2019-20, which is 25.8 percent more than the budget allocated for the current fiscal year. The annual budget presented by the Province Chief Minister Shankar Pokharel, who is also the Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning for Province 5, has targeted to collect revenue of Rs3 billion.

The province government has extended the ‘Chief Ministry Rural Development Programme’ in all rural municipalities for the next fiscal year. As of now, the programme is conducted in only 35 out of 73 rural municipalities. The budget has allocated Rs410 million for the poverty alleviation programme.

The province government has planned to make all households in the area avail with drinking water supply and electricity in the next three years. The budget has declared the road connecting Rampur of Palpa, Kapurkot of Salyan and Holeri of Rolpa as a national pride project. It has given priority to the expansion of Jhumsa-Charange road of Siddhartha Highway and construction of Rukumkot-Sisne road. A total of Rs480 million has been allocated to upgrade 96 provincial level roads.

The province government has allocated Rs750 million to construct 2,000 residential homes for marginalised people from 12 districts.

The budget has also earmarked Rs570 million for development of the education sector. The budget has announced providing scholarships for women students from the freed Kamaiya, Kamlari, Muslim and Dalit communities.

Karnali Province has announced budget of Rs34.35 billion for the next fiscal year. Presenting the budget, the Minister for Provincial Financial Affairs Prakash Jwala, said the provincial government has allocated Rs13.05 billion for recurrent expenses and Rs21.29 billion in capital expenses. Karnali province has targeted to spend Rs200 million to upgrade Karnali Province Hospital to a 300-bed specialised hospital. It has allocated Rs10 million to prepare a detailed project report of a university in the region.

The budget has planned to promote tourism in the region. Similarly, it has announced 2019-2028 as an investment decade to promote manufacturing, employment generation and export based industries and will be organising the Karnali Investment Summit in December.

Sudurpashchim Province has announced a budget of Rs28.16 billion for the next fiscal year.

Of the total budget, Rs12.57 billion has been earmarked for recurrent expenses and Rs13.06 billion for capital expenses. The province government has accorded priority for the agriculture sector. It has targeted to build a modal agricultural village in each local unit. The budget also announced construction of up to a 3 MW hydropower project through public-private-partnership modality and plans to provide self-employment training for the youth.

Provincial financial plan

The Province 1

- Province 1 budget has proposed development of an expressway to connect the Everest Base Camp, the country’s highest point in the north with the lowest point [70 metres above sea level] at Kechana Kalan in Jhapa district.

- The budget has proposed constructing Dharan-Mulghat tunnel way in the Koshi highway.

- The budget has proposed preparing a feasibility study of water transportation in the Koshi River. The budget announced providing loans without collateral for students from poor families pursuing a MBBS.

- The budget also announced leave travel concession to employees working at the province to promote Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign. Under the scheme, employees will get Rs25,000 and a combined leave of six days to visit different parts of the country.

Province 2

- Province 2 has allocated Rs393.5 million to undertake women literacy programme ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ [save the daughter, educate the daughter). The campaign was also launched by India in 2015.

- The province 2 government has allocated Rs480 million to provide Rs500 for each student from the Dalit and marginalised community. Students from class 1 to 8 will get the cash incentives.

- It has targeted to spend Rs490 million for the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation programme and Rs200 million for the chief minister agriculture promotion programme.

Province 3

- Province 3 has announced the establishment of a multi-technology school, upgrading Hetauda Hospital to Madan Bhandari Health and Science Academy and providing scholarship to students from marginalised groups and backward community and the mountainous region.

- It has targeted to launch ‘Chhori-Buhari Scholarship Programme’ [Daughter and Daughter-in-law scholarship] to promote women education.

- The province 3 government also announced providing grant of Re1 per litre of milk to farmers and providing one percent subsidy on the loan taken by the farmers, farmer’s group or agriculture cooperative in a bid to encourage commercial farming.

Gandaki Province

- Gandaki Province has allocated Rs2.09 billion to provide irrigation coverage.

- To achieve 100 percent literacy rate within the next two years, the province has allocated Rs50 million.

- In order to provide clean drinking water, the province has allocated Rs2.2 billion.

- The province has announced ‘one house, one tap’ programme to provide clean drinking water access to all of its population.

- The Gandaki province has allocated Rs60 million to install solar lights in around 1,500 households of Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, Gorkha and Lamjung districts. Similarly, Rs510 million has been allocated for rural electrification in 32 local units.

Province 5

- Province 5 has allocated Rs410 million for the poverty alleviation programme.

- The province government has planned to make all households in the area avail with drinking water supply and electricity in the next three years.

- The province government has allocated Rs750 million to construct 2,000 residential homes for marginalised people from 12 districts.

Karnali Province

- Karnali Province has announced spending Rs200 million to upgrade Karnali Province Hospital to a 300-bed specialised hospital.

- It has announced 2019-2028 as an investment decade to promote manufacturing, employment generation and export based industries and will be organising the Karnali Investment Summit in December.

Sudurpashchim Province

- Sudurpashchim Province has accorded priority for the agriculture sector. It has targeted to build a modal agricultural village in each local unit.

- The budget also announced construction of up to a 3 MW hydropower project through public-private-partnership modality and plans to provide self-employment training for the youth.

(With inputs from our districts correspondents)