The Gen-G movement has had a major impact on the development plans and service delivery of the Gandaki government. Work is underway to cut running costs for the reconstruction of various government offices, including the parliament building, which was damaged in the movement.
What you should know
After the Gen-G movement caused damage worth Rs 2 billion, the Gandaki provincial government is embroiled in the reconstruction of damaged structures.
The provincial government had decided to cut about one and a half billion rupees in current expenditure and spend it on restructuring. However, it has adopted a policy of not cutting capital expenditure.
Minister for Economic Affairs Takraj Gurung said that the government has prioritized reconstruction after the agitation. He said that the agitation took place when preparations were being made to go into the contract process to spend the development budget in the first/second week of Bhadra. ‘Before that, the provincial government had decided to carry out administrative restructuring. We were moving forward by deciding to cut 304 employees and merge offices,’ he said, ‘Preparations were being made to move forward with the annual development program. Service delivery was stopped after the Gen-G agitation. The question of how to reconstruct the damaged building became a challenge.’
The Gen-G agitation has had a major impact on the provincial government’s development plans and service delivery. Various government offices, including the parliament building, have been damaged in the agitation. 50 four-wheelers and 125 two-wheelers have been burnt in the province. Minister Gurung said that homework is currently being done to determine which running expenses will be cut. He informed that some other development works have gone through the tender process and some have been opened and work has begun. The provincial government has planned to reconstruct the damaged structures in a phased manner by classifying them according to the level of damage. ‘Not all structures need to be built now. Some structures that are on the red list and need to be completely destroyed will not be built this year, we will build them next year,’ he said. ‘We are currently reconstructing buildings on the yellow and green lists.’ To save resources for reconstruction, the government has also decided to reduce vehicle facilities. The vehicle facilities, except for those provided for by the act, are to be reduced. ‘50 four-wheelers and 125 two-wheelers have been burnt in the province,’ said Minister Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, ‘After reducing the number of vehicles, fuel expenses will also be saved.’
Due to the damaged Provincial Assembly building, it has been difficult to conduct regular meetings of the Provincial Assembly. The government has stated that it will convene the Provincial Assembly meeting only at the end of Magh. ‘Right now, there is no suitable place to hold the meeting of the Provincial Assembly Secretariat.’ He said.
According to Provincial Assembly Information Officer Shashi Subedi, the rainy session of the Gandaki Provincial Assembly began on Jestha 11 and ended on Kartik 28. The eighth session, which held 29 meetings, passed the Gandaki University Act Amendment Bill. The bill to regulate and manage cannabis cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes has been sent to the committee for clause-wise discussion.
After the parliament building was burnt down in the protest on Bhadra 24, the last three meetings of the last session of the Gandaki Provincial Assembly were held in the hall of the Animal Services Directorate under the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives.
Budget expenditure slow, income satisfactory
While the focus is on reconstruction, the regular budget expenditure of the provincial government has been slow. The total budget for the current fiscal year 082/083 is 31.97 billion 99 million 99 thousand, of which only 3.25 billion 1.544 billion rupees, or 10.17 percent, has been spent in the first quarter.
Out of the 12.63 billion 66 million 50 thousand rupees allocated for current, 1.59 billion 86 million 12 thousand rupees have been spent, which is 12.65 percent. Out of the 19.93 billion 33 million 24 thousand rupees allocated for capital, 1.65 billion 29 million 32 thousand rupees have been spent, which is only 8.66 percent. There has been no expenditure on the financial allocation of Rs 250 million. In the first three months of the last fiscal year 081/82, 7 percent was spent and in the first five months, 11 percent was spent.
Although budget expenditure has been slow, Gandaki Province has made satisfactory progress in resource mobilization. The provincial government has collected Rs 6,877,156,000, making a progress of 21.50 percent in the first quarter.
Out of the target of collecting Rs 12,436,180,000 in tax revenue, Rs 3,225,449,000 or 25.95 percent has been collected. Out of the target of collecting Rs 3,136,870,000 in non-tax revenue, only Rs 309,398,000 or 9.88 percent has been collected.
Out of Rs 12,233,600,000, Rs 2,605,822,000 or 21.30 percent has been received in grants. On the other hand, against the target of collecting Rs 2.43 billion 50 million 94 thousand, there has been a progress of Rs 736 million 487 thousand or 30.24 percent. Although the main source of income, the Land Revenue Office and the Transport Office, has also suffered losses, the revenue collection seems to be satisfactory.
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