Among the 6 metropolises of the country, Lalitpur, Biratnagar, Birganj, Bharatpur and Pokhara have allocated the budget for the next financial year 2082/083. But the Kathmandu metropolis in the valley could not bring the budget within the scheduled time of June 10.

Among the five metropolises that brought budgets, Lalitpur, Biratnagar, Birganj and Pokhara metropolises have increased the size of the budget compared to the current financial year, while Bharatpur has reduced it. In the Local Government Operation Act 2074 and the Inter-Governmental Financial Management Act-2074, there is a legal provision that every local level must submit the estimated income-expenditure statement (budget) for the next financial year to the Municipal Assembly or Village Assembly within June 10.

Subsection 6 of Section 71 of the Local Government Operation Act 2074, which must be passed by the Municipal Assembly or Village Assembly by the end of June.  Even if the budget does not come on Tuesday, it will come in June, said Dhruv Kafle, assistant spokesperson of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. He said that the budget could not be submitted in the Assembly by June 10 due to the

process not being completed. For the first time since federalism, Kathmandu has not been able to bring the budget within the stipulated time. Although the Local Government Operation Act states that the budget should be submitted by June 10 and passed within June, there is no provision for what will happen if the budget is not brought. 

Federalist Khimlal Devkota said that if the budget is not brought within June, the old tax system will be implemented, even if administrative expenses can be spent, the development work will be stopped. "Usually administrative expenses are allowed, but development and infrastructure construction expenses are stopped," he said. The people there will suffer the effects of that.' 

Lalitpur metropolis has brought a budget of 7 billion 47 crore 41 lakh 47 thousand for the financial year 2082/83. Which is more than 57 lakh 55 thousand rupees compared to the current financial year. The metropolis has allocated 2 billion 96 crore 64 lakh 18 thousand rupees for current expenses and 4 billion 50 crore 77 lakh 29 thousand rupees for capital expenditure.

Presenting the budget in the Municipal Assembly, Manjali Shakya Vajracharya, the deputy head of the metropolis, said that it is pleasant to propose the budget around the current financial year in view of the reduction of the subsidies given by the union and state governments in the past. 

Lalitpur has prioritized areas such as prosperity and good governance, heritage and cultural preservation, sustainable infrastructure, green promotion, environment, self-sufficient economy, quality education, clean drinking water, social development, health and youth employment.

Lalitpur brought a budget of 7 billion 46 million 83 lakh 92 thousand for the current financial year. Property tax will be exempted for the houses built within the World Heritage Area following the Building Heritage Rules. According to Lalitpur, 5 percent discount on property tax will be given to those who use electric vehicles.

Biratnagar Metropolitan Municipality has brought a budget of 4.4 billion rupees for 2082/83. Biratnagar has allocated Rs 90 million more than the current financial year. 3.49 billion was allocated for the current financial year.

Shilpa Nirala Karki, deputy head of the metropolis, has allocated 1.68 billion 83 million for infrastructure development and 64.75 million for office operation and administrative expenses for the next financial year. Karki said that Biratnagar has allocated 50 million for the principal-interest payment of the loan and 80 million for the remaining plans and programs for the current year. 

Birganj metropolis has brought a budget of 3 billion 224 million 48 lakh 49 thousand rupees for the next financial year. On Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Imtiaz Alam presented a budget of 330 million more than the current financial year. In Birganj, the budget for the current financial year was 2 billion 89 million 48 lakh 17 thousand rupees. In the upcoming budget, there are 2 billion 265 million rupees for current expenses, 92 million 34 million rupees for capital and 364 million rupees for financial management. 

The dispute between the mayor and the administrative officer in Kathmandu, between the mayor and the deputy mayor in Dharan

Birgunj deputy chief Alam said that the priorities of the budget for the next financial year are education, health, agriculture, tourism, sanitation, environmental protection, quality physical infrastructure and digital-friendly service delivery. City chief Rajeshman Singh said that on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of the establishment of the railway service, the construction of the 'Railway Museum' will be carried forward by preserving and reusing the old railway structures. 

Bharatpur metropolis has reduced its budget by 1 billion rupees compared to the current financial year due to not being able to raise internal revenue. Bharatpur submitted a budget of 5 billion 1971 lakh 66 thousand for the financial year 082/83 to the Municipal Assembly on June 8.

Metropolitan Deputy Chief Chitrasen Adhikari has brought a budget of 1.36 billion rupees less for the next financial year than the current financial year. For the current financial year, Bharatpur metropolis had brought a budget of 6 billion 55 million 85 lakh 98 thousand. It is estimated that the internal income for the next fiscal year will be 1 billion 800 million. 

Bharatpur Metropolitan Municipality has allocated Rs 4 crore for Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium and Rs 30 lakh for the production of documentary (documentary) of infrastructure prepared in the metropolis. The Metropolitan Corporation has allocated 947.879 million rupees for ward level projects with a minimum ceiling of 32.1 million rupees and a maximum ceiling of 34.4 million rupees.

The deputy chief officer said that the budget aims to make the metropolis self-sufficient. City chief Renu Dahal mentioned that there is a policy and program to start a green roof program in public and private buildings and to discourage the application of zinc sheets on roofs. 

Pokhara metropolis has allocated a budget of 8 billion 35 million 12 lakh rupees for the next financial year. Deputy Chief Manjudevi Gurung presented a budget of 538 million rupees more than the current financial year in the 17th Municipal Assembly on Sunday. The Metropolitan Corporation had brought a budget of 7 billion 81 crore 32 lakh 83 thousand rupees for the current financial year. City chief Dhanraj Acharya is in a hurry to visit China on Monday, and the policy and program and budget were brought on the same day on Sunday. 

Pokhara has not presented the estimate of capital and current expenses in the budget of the next financial year. In terms of income, it is estimated that 3.13 billion rupees will be received from the federal government's conditional grant and 5.22 billion rupees from internal revenue.

2 billion 33 crore rupees have been allocated out of the total budget for infrastructure development. A budget of 55 million has been proposed for the city executive office, 38 million for social development, 18 million for economic development, 1 billion for the ward office, and 380 million for urban development, tourism, forest and environment. 

Pokhara metropolis has given priority and budget to education from its subordinate schools. It has been announced that 2 more technical subjects will be added from next year in Gandaki polytechnic school where 7 technical subjects are being taught. A budget of 1 crore 85 lakhs has been kept for conducting the overall educational activities of the polytechnic school. The metropolis has allocated a budget of 3.5 million to conduct youth-oriented programs including entrepreneurship and income generation, skill-based training and start-up programs while increasing youth activity.  

42 municipalities failed to bring budget due to dispute between people's representatives

42 local levels including one metropolis, two sub-metropolises and 39 municipalities could not bring budgets until June 10, the last day to submit the budget for the next financial year. On the website of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, only 197 municipalities have entered their budgets till 10 pm on Tuesday. 

9 of the 18 local levels of Dhanush have not been able to publish their budgets until Tuesday. Mithila municipality, Kshireshwarnath municipality, Nagarain municipality, Kamala municipality, Hanspur municipality and other rural municipalities have not been able to bring the budget till Tuesday. Janakpurdham sub-metropolitan municipality, Janakannadani rural municipality and Bateshwar rural municipality are preparing to bring the budget within a week by bringing policies and programs.

The 13 local levels of Saptari have not been able to bring the budget for the next financial year within the specified time. Here, four municipalities have not yet started the process for town/village assembly, while in 9 municipalities, policies and programs have yet to be presented and budgets are yet to be brought. Rajviraj, Dakneshwari and Hanumannagar Kankalini municipalities have not started the process for assembly.

In Agnisair Krishnasavaran rural municipality, even when the village meeting was called on Monday, the members of the meeting did not attend. In Khadak and Shambhunath Municipalities and Tirhut, Mahadeva, Bishnupur and Chinnamasta Municipalities, a few days ago, the meeting was inaugurated and policies and programs were presented, but the matter of bringing the budget has not been decided. Surunga, Saptakoshi and Kanchanrup Municipalities have not been able to submit till 8 pm even though the meeting has been started. 

Out of the 16 towns and 2 rural municipalities of Rautahat, Brindavan, Devahigonahi, Fatuwa Vijayapur municipality and Yamunamai and Durgabhagavati rural municipalities could not bring the budget. By June 10, 13 local levels have released their budgets. Anuradha Kumari, the vice chairperson of Yamunamai rural municipality, said that the municipal assembly could not be held on time because the chairman, Mohammad Saud, could not hold the meeting of the executive committee and the revenue consultation committee.

'Until now, the chairman has no interest in the municipal council,' she said, 'First of all, the executive should hold a meeting and discuss the date of the meeting. Chairman Saud said that the council is preparing to hold a council meeting and the allegations made by the vice president are false. 

Since then, the Municipal Assembly has been postponed after the Birganj High Court issued an injunction to stop the Municipal Assembly of Brindavan Municipality. Deputy Chief Sangeethakumar Ram filed a petition in the High Court to stop the Municipal Assembly on June 8, saying that there was unrest in the municipality and that the Mayor had hurt everyone's sentiments.

Judge Hari Prasad Joshi's bench has issued an impugned order. Mayor Patel accused Deputy Mayor Ram of not allowing the Municipal Assembly to be held on time. Chairman of Durgabhagavati Rural Municipality Shambhu Singh said that the meeting could not be held due to the consent of the people's representatives. 

Fatwa Ambey Khatun, Acting Mayor of Vijaypur, claimed that the Municipal Assembly could not be held due to the lack of internal preparations. Khatun has been running the municipality since the head of Fatwa Vijaypur, Gopal Rai Yadav, was suspended in 2080 in a corruption case. Deputy Chief Parnia Devi informed that due to the illness of Premlal Sah Kanu, the head of Dewahi Gonahi, the Municipal Assembly could not be held on time.

Rajpur, Katharia, Gadhimai, Garuda, Chandrapur, Madhavnarayan, Gaur, Paroha, Rajdevi, Boudhimai, Ishanath, Gujra and Moulapur municipalities have completed their Municipal Council. In Bara, which has 2 sub-metropolises, 5 towns and 9 rural villages, 1 sub-metropolis, 1 municipality and 1 rural village could not bring the budget.

1 sub-metropolitan, 4 municipalities and 8 rural municipalities have brought budgets. Jitpur Simra sub-metropolitan city, Nijgarh municipality has been adjourned due to lack of agreement on budget ceiling. Suvarna Rural Municipality said that it is preparing to bring a budget with policies and programs. 13 other municipalities have presented budgets. 

All 5 rural municipalities and 5 municipalities of Sankhuwasabha have brought policies and programs on Tuesday and some have also released their budgets. In Chitwan, which has seven local levels, six municipalities have brought budgets. Mayor Shamsher Lama said that Rapti Municipality has convened a council meeting on June 20. 

Out of the 13 local levels of Kavre, except Panauti Municipality, all have announced their budgets by Tuesday. The Municipal Assembly convened on Monday in Panauti was adjourned after the quorum was not reached. 

Out of 73 rural municipalities, 32 municipalities and 4 sub-metropolitan municipalities in Lumbini, 13 municipalities and 22 rural municipalities have not announced their budgets till Tuesday night. All the 12 municipalities of Gulmi have brought the budget. 5 out of 6 municipalities of Arghakhanchi have brought the budget. Bhumikasthan municipality said that it will announce the budget only on Wednesday without internal preparations.

Apart from Suddhodhan and Vijayanagar Rural Municipality, out of 10 in Kapilvastu, they have brought budget and policy program. Suddhodhan rural municipality president Kamleshasaran Chaudhary said that the policy program and budget will be brought within a week as the ward presidents asked for time. In Vijayanagar rural municipality, the village meeting could not be held until 7 pm on Tuesday due to a dispute over budget allocation. Mayadevi rural municipality has also brought policies and programs only. 

Most of the 79 in Karnali have brought the budget on Tuesday, while 4 local levels are discussing to bring the budget by Tuesday night. Out of the 10 local levels of Salyan, Bagchaur, Bangadkupinde and Kumakh Rural Municipality have not received the budget till late on Tuesday. Jajarkot's Nalgad Nagar Deputy Chief Devaka Lamichhane said that the budget presentation is being discussed till Tuesday night.

Panchdeval Vinayak of Achham and Melauli municipality of Baitadi among the 88 local levels in the Far West have not been able to come up with a budget till Tuesday. Unionist Devkota says that the budget could not be brought due to lack of coordination and cooperation between the head/deputy head, chief administrative officer and ward president. Devkota says that there is/is not a majority and sometimes the city head/chairman does not bring the budget on time.

"New tax system and spending system are all done through the budget. Without bringing the budget, the new tax system cannot be implemented," he said. Therefore, the budget should be brought within the specified time.' He emphasized that the federal and state governments should also play the role of guardians in the matter of bringing the budget. 

According to Devkota, there is a problem of not bringing the budget on time in some municipalities since the federalism started. He said that the equalization grant should be given only to the municipality that does not bring the budget within the specified time. He emphasized on reducing the equalization subsidy of municipalities that do not bring the budget on time, bringing the budget on time, reporting and adding the reduced equalization subsidy to those who have good financial governance.

"The federal government should be strict to make the local level or people's representatives accountable and responsible in this matter," he said, "The situation should not be allowed to happen even if the budget is brought, or not, or if taxes are taken, or not."