Rs 34.50 billion budget of Karnali State

Surkhet, June 16 . Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of Karnali State, Prakash Jwala presented a budget of Rs 34.35 billion for the fiscal year 2019/20, in provincial assembly meeting on Sunday. The budget includes Rs 13 billion towards recurrent and Rs 21.29 billion towards capital expenditure.

Presenting the budget, Minister Jwala stated that the budget of the fiscal year has prioritised infrastructure development basically roadway construction naming one road in one constituency programme in the districts of the State. The government has allocated Rs 1.29 billion for the purpose.

The Surkhet-Telpani-Bhurigaun, Laipur-Rupsa, Ramaroshan Achham, Bajura Tajakot-Sarkeghat, Kharpunath Nampkha, Rukum Kalimati Kohalpur, Ranighat Karnali Chisapani (inter-state) connecting road sections are in high priority in the budget. Similarly, Karnali province government has allocated over Rs 1.70 billion for the overall development of the irrigation sector.

Similarly, over Rs 250 million has been allocated for the development of Integrated Model Settlement. The provincial government has allocated Rs 10 million to take forward the work relating to the establishment of Mountaineering Science and Technology University.

It has allocated Rs 110 million to set up multi-technical centre in each district in the province. The provincial government said that it has also allotted adequate budget for the construction of Madarasa in Surkhet and Salyan districts for the marginalized Muslim communities and a province library in province capital- Surkhet. For the health sector, over Rs 280 million has been allocated for various titles such as upscaling the province hospital, procuring medical equipment and tool and appointment of specialist in health facilities in the districts among others.

Under the mobile hospital, Rs 20 million has been allocated while the female community health volunteers and child education facilitators will be given additional Rs 10,000 annually for motivation. Chief Minister Employment Programme got Rs 50 million while for the development of sport sector, budget amounting to over Rs 110 million has been allotted which would be spent for construction of stadiums in various districts and establishment of Karnali Youth and Sports Council.

The provincial government has decided to provide Rs 100,000 to those sportspersons securing first position in the national games while Rs 500,000 will be awarded to those sportsperson securing first position in the international matches. The government, prioritizing women empowerment and ending female feticide for which it would open bank account in the name of the baby girl upon the birth and provide Rs 1,000 as an initial deposit while the government would deposit Rs 500 per month until she turns 20.

Furthermore, cultural museums would be established in each Sinja and Dullu while Lama cultural museum would be set up in Humla while cultural museum of Tharu and Magar communities would be set up in Surkhet. For the agriculture construction, Rs 320 has been allotted while Rs 300 million budget would be provisioned to provide the farmers-centric subsidy in loan for the farmers in Karnali province.

The Karnali province would celebrate year 2019-28 as an ‘Investment Decade’. Legal frameworks, mechanism and budget required to operate air services in partnership with the private sector has been put in place while budget has been allocated for the establishment of Tourism Board and helipad construction in local level for emergency rescues.

A total of Rs 10.50 million has been allotted for providing discount for the people with full disability, senior citizens in Dolpa and Humla for air services. Furthermore, Rs 10 million has been allocated to make Visit Nepal 2020 a success. The provincial government has decided to give continuity to the Karnali Rara Tourism Year-2075.

For security sector, the province government has allocated over Rs 110 for the construction of province police and to well-equip it. Peace Rehabilitation Centre would be constructed in the memory of people’s movement and insurgency.

Shelters for flood-survivors would be built for which the province government has allocated Rs 60 million. Each household at risk of disasters would be provided Rs 500,000 as insurance.

For the establishment of mass media and information technology foundation, the provincial government has allocated Rs 200 million which also covers areas as capacity building of journalists, their insurance and scholarship for higher studies.RSS