There is a crowd of people asking for a plan in the ministry of the Far West Province government, which is in the final preparation of the budget for the next financial year. Party leaders, workers, local people's representatives, and those who have access to the minister seem to be rushing to the ministry to pick the names of their favorite schemes.

Not only the workers and those who have access, but also every office head and representative under the government are running in Dhangadhi lobbying the relevant ministry to increase the budget in their office.

The number of people coming to Dhangadi to ask for the plan is more crowded than during budget preparation in the past years as the two major parties, Congress and UML, are in the joint government. In addition, due to the deteriorating condition of the budget in the Far West, there is a habit of planning based on prices and access. The government, employees and MPs are also accused of buying and selling schemes.

Leaders, workers and state parliamentarians often make accusations of buying and selling the budget. A local of Bajura's Triveni Municipality was waiting for his turn to meet with Economic Affairs Minister and Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah on Monday. He said that he had arrived in Dhangadhi a week ago to ask for the plan. "I have come to the village to ask for plans for irrigation, drinking water, etc.," he said, "I have also brought the plan file." Whether they will give the budget or not, I will meet the minister and talk about it. Lok Bahadur Saund of Ramaroshan in Acham also met in front of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to ask for a

plan. He said that he came to the village to demand the embankment plan. Lokendra Prasad Bhatt of Kanchanpur said that he came to demand the road construction plan.

Similarly, the head of an office under the province of Achham said that he is wondering if the budget will be increased a little because the budget allocation for his office is going to be low. According to him, until Monday, the ministry has not sent the capital budget ceiling for its office. A local level head of Bajhang was also found running from ministry to ministry for the past few days with the list of plans. In the Far West, there have been accusations of middleman manipulation in the budget plan since last year. There are also many people who say that there is a suspicion that the same may happen in the budget of the next financial year. There is more pressure from MPs to ask for a budget plan. Every MP seems to be very busy these days . They are found in the circle of workers . There is never a time when the mobile does not ring because of people calling from the village asking for plans .

"I am under a lot of pressure from those who are asking for plans," MP Padam Bahadur Shahi said, "If all the plans are to be noted, even if all the budget of the province is given to me, it will not be enough." An official of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development says that the problem is increasing in the Far West due to the fact that the budgeting method is not correct. "If this is the way it is, then it will be difficult to improve," said the official, "it seems like the budget is being stolen." But the government is not following the direction in formulating the plan of the province made by itself . According to the government's plan formulation directive 078, it should be entered into the ministry budget information system (PLMBIS) and finalized by June 20th. But according to the employees associated with the ministry, the plan has not been entered even till Tuesday .

direction sets the stages and time limits of the planning process . According to which, the relevant ministry must submit a detailed project proposal and feasibility study, analysis and prioritization of the project to be conducted by the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission in the project bank.

Likewise, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission should discuss the proposed budget and program by June 20 and enter it into the Provincial Ministry's Budget Information System and finalize it. According to the employees, there is a provision that only current programs should be entered in the information system. But in the Far West, this provision is being violated.

On the other hand, the plans recommended by the MPs have been criticized since the past for being opaque. The MPs say that they are ready to make public the list of their recommended plans if necessary. UML MP and Chairman of the Social Development Committee of the State Assembly Dharmaraj Pathak says that in order to prevent middlemen in the budget, there is only one formula to prevent intrusion into the scheme if the plan is to include only the schemes in the scheme bank according to the scheme direction.

'Any plan is entered from which body?, every plan should be accountable . Ministers and secretaries should take the final responsibility," says Chairman Pathak. "The government or the relevant ministry can put a plan on the recommendation of the parliamentarian, public representative or someone concerned, but the responsibility should be made public. Plans recommended by MPs should be made public on the letter pad . I am ready to go public.'

Maoist Parliamentary Party Deputy Leader Akkal Bahadur Rawal points out that one should have the courage to take responsibility and go public with the signature of the plan recommender. "Each agency should be able to publish the list of plans recommended by them". I am ready to publicize the list of the schemes that I have recommended," he said.