Two sub-metropolitan cities of Koshi province, Itahari and Dharan, have budget zero from today. Due to the inability to pass the allocated budget for the next fiscal year 2082/83 from the Municipal Assembly, the situation of budget vacuum has been created in these two sub-metropolitan cities.
Due to differences between Dharan sub-metropolitan chief Hark Sampang and deputy chief Aindra Bikram Begha, the budget for the financial year 2082/83 could not be passed, and the sub-metropolitan budget has reached a state of zero. Dharan sub-metropolis, which was unable to submit the budget within the stipulated time due to the dispute between the mayor Hark Sampang and the ward presidents last year, is also stuck in a crisis this year.
Due to the clash of ward chairpersons including the mayor and deputy mayor and internal disputes, the budget process has stalled in Dharan, an important local level in eastern Nepal, and the residents have become worried. One of the reasons for the budget not coming in time in Dharan is the dispute over labor donation.
On the 2nd and 3rd of June, there was a clash between the mayor and the deputy mayor over the issue of labor donation. As the dispute was not resolved until the last time of making the budget, it affected the budget making process. Mayor Sampang postponed the meeting after 28 executive members, including the deputy chief, submitted a letter stating that it would not be appropriate to hold an executive meeting without completing the legal process and necessary preparations.
As the meeting could not be held, Dharan sub-metropolitan could not present the budget on June 10. Since then, despite repeated attempts, the work of budget creation has reached a state of emptiness due to lack of perfection.
Similarly, Itahari sub-metropolitan city has also reached a state of budget vacuum. On the 10th of June, the policy, program and budget presented by Deputy Chief Sangeeta Kumari Chaudhary on behalf of the Sub-Metropolitan City was not passed.
In the Local Government Operation Act, it is stipulated that the policy, program and budget presented on June 10 must be discussed and passed within 15 days, i.e. June 25. However, the sub-metropolitan city, which has repeatedly convened the city council to pass the budget, postponed the city council meeting that was called on Wednesday, so it has become a budget holiday.
Itahari sub-metropolitan city mayor Hemkarn Poudel tried to pass the budget without a schedule, after deputy chief Chaudhary disagreed, Wednesday's municipal meeting was postponed until further notice. After Deputy Chief Choudhary informed that the budget could not be submitted to the Municipal Assembly for a decision without a schedule, Mayor Poudel, present as the Mayor of the Municipal Assembly, adjourned the Municipal Assembly until further notice.
