A budget amid economic slowdown : Achieving revenue target to meet expenditure needs will continue to be challenging, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 06/06/2023)

udget 2023: Will It Lift Nepal’s Descending Economy?, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (rep 05/06/2023)

Budget for transmission lines cut despite high capacity power line being a top priority : The government’s budget says both domestic and cross-border power lines are priorities, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 31/05/2023)

Lofty dreams in hard times : The finance minister has promised so much without spelling out how he intends to keep those promises (kp 31/05/2023) [This is typical of this extremely competent generation of politicians!], ‘Implementing the budget is challenging’ (rep 31/05/2023), FinMin defends announcements in the budget (ae 31/05/2023)

Controversial pork barrel fund revived after two years : Former member of planning body terms the budget anti-federalis, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 30/05/2023), MPs can only recommend projects in CDF – Finance Minister Mahat (kh 30/05/2023) [Nevertheless, this opens up opportunities for only directly elected MPs to profile themselves with a view to future elections, which is a form of corruption.  This system must be abolished once and for all!]

Budget ignored demands of education sector: NNTA (kh 30/05/2023))

Health ministry surprised as government allocates double the anticipated budget : Now health officials might need to revise their plans as they had based their calculations on the Rs41 billion limit (kp 30/05/2023), Budget of urban development ministry doubled in FY 2023/24 (rep 30/05/2023)

Budget ups luxury tax on high-end goods, services : Five-star hotel services, foreign travel, precious metals, alcoholic products will be more expensive, by Krishana Prasain (kp 30/05/2023)

Government unveils annual budget of Rs 1751.31 billion : The budget unveiled for the next fiscal year is lower than the budget unveiled for the current fiscal year, but it exceeds the revised budget of Rs 1549 billion for the current fiscal year (nlt 29/05/2023), Nepal unveils Rs1.75 trillion financial plan for fiscal 2023-24 : The government has targeted a growth rate of 6 percent and aims to keep inflation within 6.5 percent, by Sangam Prasain and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 30/05/2023), Major highlights of budget for fiscal year 2023/24 (rep 30/05/2023), FinMin bid to maintain fiscal prudence with Rs 1,751.31bn budget (ae 30/05/2023)

MoF In Need Of Burden Sharing, by Modnath Dhakal (rn 27/05/2023)

What the government should prioritize in the budget for upcoming fiscal year : The country may fall into crisis if the Ministry of Finance and the Rastra Bank move ahead independently in a traditional way in the present situation, by Bishwambher Pyakuryal (nlt 22/05/2023)

Getting fiscal priorities right : It is hard to be elated by looking at the government’s programmes for the upcoming fiscal year, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp 18/05/2023)

National budget for new fiscal year may slash allocation for infrastructure sector : Budget ceiling for the infrastructure ministry has been lowered as the government struggles to generate resources, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 17/05/2023)

Bring federalism-centric budget : Allocating a bigger budget or more programmes to specific constituencies does not guarantee electoral success, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp 17/05/2023)

Dismal Capital Expenditure: Govt yet to spend 60 percent of capital budget (ae 16/05/2023)

Women, children and senior citizen ministry lacks adequate budget: Minister Acharya (kh 16/05/2023)

Govt’s expenditure exceeds income (kh 15/05/2023)

Economic outlook and fiscal budget : A single budget cannot resolve all structural issues but it can take corrective steps, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 11/05/2023)

Finance Minister discusses budget with international development partners (kh 11/05/2023)

A Disappointing Picture of Capital Expenditure, by Suraj Ghimire (rep 10/05/2023)

Govt facing difficulties to manage resources for upcoming budget: FinMin Mahat (ae 10/05/2023)

New Finance Minister Needs to Promote Budget Credibility, by Anirudra Neupane (rep 08/05/2023)

Upper House lawmakers show concerns over 'vague' words in budget (rn 08/05/2023)

Pre-budget deliberations could be cut short as House session lingers : Experts on parliamentary affairs say such problems arise when the House maintains no calendar, by Binod Ghimire (kp 23/04/2023) [A direct consequence of the undemocratic policies of the "top politicians" of all parties who are exclusively interested in power!]

Budget transfers equal capital expenditure last year; a serious issue of credibility (kh 15/04/2023)

Government spending hit by slowed revenue inflow : Officials admit that there have been some issues related to payment, but say that the problem is not as severe as made out to be, by Pawan Pandey (kp 06/04/2023)

Finance ministry cuts conditional grants allocated for sub-national governments (rep 03/04/2023)

Budget formulation without a finance minister (ae 30/03/2023)

Fiscal equalization grants: Sub-national govts to receive lower budget for next fiscal year (ae 22/03/2023)

Budget deficit crosses over Rs 156 billion in eight months : The government has only achieved 42.7 percent of its annual revenue collection target, and only 43.44 percent of its budget expenditure target has been met so far (nlt 15/03/2013)

Fiscal deficit grows wider as revenue shortfall continues (ae 07/03/2023)

Status of Federal Budget Implementation: Zero progress in 36 economic sector programs announced in federal budget (ae 02/03/2023)

Govt transfers over Rs 23 billion budget in seven months (kh 01/03/2023), Nearly 44.74 billion budget transfer in first seven months of FY 2022/23 (kh 01/03/2023)

NPC lowers budget ceiling for next fiscal year (ae 27/02/2023)

Government trims budget size by 14 percent : Announcing a mid-term review of the annual budget, Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel said the budget has been cut down to Rs 1549 billion (nlt 12/02/2023)

Why is the government in a deep fiscal hole? The government has a target of collecting Rs1,403 billion in revenue in the current fiscal year, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 12/01/2023)

Kathmandu could cut funds to provinces and local governments : Provinces were supposed to get nearly Rs130 billion and local governments Rs300 billion in fiscal transfers, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 03/02/2023)

Domestic debt: Govt seeks extra budget to repay internal debts (ae 03/02/2023)

MoF to slash recurrent expenses; around Rs 25 billion to be saved (kh 01/02/2023)

Pension office short of Rs20 billion as liabilities soar amid drop in revenues : With government allocating less than the required budget, the office seeks extra Rs17 billion from finance ministry, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 23/01/2023)

World Bank urged for enhanced budgetary assistance (rep 21/01/2023)

Capital expenditure a meager 14% in six months (rn 17/01/2023), Capital expenditure at less than 15pc in H1 (ht 17/01/2023)

Budget expenditures at 24.26 percent in five months (kh 16/12/2022)

Call for reforms in transparency of fiscal information (kh 28/09/2022)

Govt repeats late spending trend as fiscal year comes to a close : Rs 52 billion spent as development expenditure in past 25 days; Rs 15 billion spent on Saturday alone (kh 10/07/2022) [Nepal politicians will never change unless they are replaced in their entirety by a responsible, younger and socially inclusive generation! Otherwise, the personal power struggles of failed top politicians who are not really interested in the development of the country will continue endlessly!], Government spends over Rs 25bn in one day (ht 11/07/2022), Government sets record in rush spending at end of fiscal year : On Saturday, despite being the weekend, it paid out a whopping Rs14.72 billion, setting a record for the highest one-day capital expenditure, by Pawan Pandey (kp 12/07/2022) [This testifies to a lack of interest on the part of the responsible politicians and administrators in a structured and rational development policy!], Perennial problem : Nepal's dev process will not move ahead as long as the govt fails to spend the capital budget as per its desire (ht 12/07/2022)

Gender-responsive budgeting: Good on paper, poor on implementation : In the absence of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, existing gender financing policies of Nepal have failed to yield desired results, by Aakriti Ghimire (kp 06/07/2022), Women in budget : Despite significant strides, some gaps in mobility and entrepreneurship remain (kp 07/07/2022)

Former vice-chairs of National Planning Commission demand probe on budget tampering case : "The government has failed to increase exports, ensure proper mobilization of foreign aid and loans, attract foreign investment, facilitate tourist arrivals, and ensure remittance inflows through formal channels to improve the depleting foreign currency reserves." (nlt 05/07/2022)

Capital expenditure at less than 40 per cent (ht 01/07/2022), Only 41.62 percent of capital budget spent as 12 days remain in this fiscal (kh 05/07/2022)

Let’s hope people won’t brand this budget as the worst-ever, by Krishna Prasad Dahal (21/06/2022)

Constricted devolution of fiscal power : The new leadership at the local level needs to find ways to boost capital expenditure, by Achyut Wagle (kp 21/06/2022)

All provinces present their budgets, targeting economic recovery : The combined budgets of the seven provinces for the next fiscal year amount to Rs305.46 billion, nearly 17 percent higher than the current fiscal year’s budget, by Pawan Pandey (kp 16/06/2022), Spending money wisely : The budgets should have found regionally specific ways to keep the youth at home (kp 17/06/2022), Provincial budgets : As long as there is easy money flowing in, the provinces will not have the incentive to boost their economy (ht 17/06/2022)

FY 79/80 budget: From the perspective of energy balance, by Sailesh Chitrakar and Rama Thapa (ht 15/06/2022)

Education, Science, Technology and Innovation impetus in Nepal’s budget : At least 0.75 percent of GDP should be allocated for the S&T. A separate Ministry of Science and Technology should be established to streamline S&T activities, by Raju Adhikari (nlt 13/06/2022)

Budget debate in Nepal is about MPs seeking more for their constituencies : Parliamentarians often forget their main job—making laws. They consider themselves development workers, by Binod Ghimire (kp 12/06/2022)

‘Problem lies not in introducing programs but in implementing them’ (rep 11/06/2022)

Confusion engulfs budget plan to set up Rs500 billion fund for farm financing : Central bank says it was unaware of such plan. Bankers, who have already lent hundreds of billions to the sector, are concerned about who will regulate the microfinance fund, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 10/06/2022)

Nepal drops down in global rankings on budget accountability: What does it indicate? This shows that citizens now have less access to timely and comprehensive information they need to participate in decision-making and hold the government to account, by Subhash Dahal (nlt 07/06/2022) [see report results on Nepal]

Budget allocates large funds for debt servicing : Big borrowings for post-quake reconstruction, Covid response, and rupee’s devaluation blamed for high debt servicing costs, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 05/06/2022)

Austerity is good but government has created more liability for itself : Costs for salary and pension of government staff and social security up by Rs76 billion for the next fiscal year as the ‘election-oriented’ budget focuses on populist schemes, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 04/06/2022)

Budget 2022/023 Populist Package (sp 09/06/2022)

Ruling party lawmakers also find fault with new budget : Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa says funds have been allocated disproportionately to benefit certain politicians in western Nepal, by Binod Ghimire (kp 03/06/2022)

“Putting it bluntly, the budget is only intended to influence election”, by Dhiraj Basnet (kh 02/06/2022), Programs mentioned in budget should be implemented: Gagan Thapa (kh 02/06/2022)

Madhesh has been completely cheated in budget for coming fiscal year: Yadav (rep 01/06/2022)

An eye on the elections : It is customary to bring a large budget and then dial down the allocations over the year (kp 31/05/2022)

Budget prioritises boosting local production over infrastructure : Finance Minister says budget addresses recommendations from private sector to promote production rather than trade, by Krishana Prasain (kp 31/05/2022)

Ambitious budget : The most challenging task for the govt is to spend the budget for the capital expenditure (ht 31/05/2022)

A Rs1.79 trillion budget with programmes aimed at polls and no clarity on resources : Economists say too big a budget which could fuel inflation that’s already biting people hard, just as the country stares at an economic crisis, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Krishana Prasain (kp 30/05/2022)

Annual budget’s five objectives, 10 priorities (kh 30/05/2022), Budget allocations to ministries and departments (kh 30/05/2022)

Govt presents budget of Rs 1.793 trillion, by Rajesh Khanal (rep 29/05/2022), Major highlights of budget for fiscal year 2022/23 (with full text) (rep 29/05/2022), Civil servants’ salaries raised by 15 percent (rep 29/05/2022)

Rs 3.89 billion budget for industrial infrastructure (kh 29/05/2022), Rs 10.48 billion set aside for Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (kh 29/05/2022), Govt to allow Nepali contractors to invest abroad (kh 29/05/2022), Rs 55.97 billion allocated for agriculture and livestock development (kh 29/05/2022), Govt allocates Rs 9.38 billion for the promotion of tourism sector (kh 29/05/2022), Government announces to bring 1 million more tourists next year : Allocates Rs 9.38 billion for tourism sector (kh 29/05/2022), Ceiling of foreign investment lowered (kh 29/05/2022), Govt reduces minimum threshold for FDI injection to Rs 20 million from Rs 50 million (rep 29/05/2022), 500,000 squatters to get land ownership certificate in FY 2022/23 (kh 29/05/2022), Government to provide shelter to landless farmers (kh 29/05/2022), Rs 5,000 per month for kidney, cancer, and spinal cord paralysis patients (kh 29/05/2022), Nijgadh Int’l Airport figures in govt budget for upcoming fiscal! (kh 29/05/2022) [??], Govt to increase pay of civil servants by 15 percent (kh 29/05/2022), Govt to reduce internet usage charge (kh 29/05/2022), Rs 7.5 billion allocated for Prime Minister Employment Program (kh 29/05/2022), Over Rs 69.38 billion allocated for health sector (kh 29/05/2022), Arrangement of free kidney transplant (kh 29/05/2022), Old age allowance from 68 years (kh 29/05/2022), Up to 15 percent discount on electricity tariff for industries consuming more than 100 million rupees monthly (kh 29/05/2022), Govt to reserve 10% quota on IPOs for Nepali migrants abroad (kh 29/05/2022) [All of these plans will require lots of extra money. Where is this to come from?], Education sector receives Rs 16 billion more budget this year, day meal up to Grade 7 (kh 29/05/2022), National Cyber Information Center to be established (kh 29/05/2022), Finance Minister pledges paradigm shift through budget (kh 29/05/2022)

Populism and ad-hocism in policymaking: How it will aggravate Nepal’s economic troubles : The concern right now is what will happen if international fuel and food prices and dollar appreciation do not abate? Is there a proper plan with the government to tackle such a grim prospect?, by Dikshya Singh and Kshitiz Dahal  (nlt 29/05/2022), Budget day: Concern is rising inflation and economists warn against bloated plan : Experts call for a budget that addresses current economic challenges while avoiding populist tilts in the election year, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Krishana Prasain (kp 29/05/2022)

Budget to focus on social justice, independent economy (ht 18/05/2022), Economists warn a big budget will send prices soaring : An overblown budget, a tendency in Nepal, could result in tax-inflation, ultimately hitting the public, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp 19/05/2022)

Budget session recommended for May 17 : The government needs to present the annual budget on May 29 (kp 08/05/2022), Boosting Capital Expenditure, by Shyam Prasad Mainali (rn 11/05/2022)

Govt’s capital expenditure stands at meager 27.45 percent of the targeted amount in Q3 (rep 15/04/2022)

Finance Ministry consults bankers on budget making (kh 29/03/2022)

Nepal's Next Budget Must Remodel its Conventional Epigraph, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (kp 16/03/2022)

Budget for populist projects in election year a pattern, observers say : There are fears the current Deuba government too could include such projects in the upcoming budget, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 14/03/2022)

Government debt reaches Rs 1728.93 billion : External debt decreases due to US dollar exchange rate fluctuation, by Eak Raj Bastola (kh 21/02/2022)

Government dials down annual budget, once again, after failing to spend : Economists say an electoral spending boom this year and last year’s low base effect may help the economy grow to some extent but the 7 percent target still looks too ambitious, by Sangam Prasain (kp 11/02/2022), Annual budget size reduced to Rs 1.546 trillion (ht 11/02/2022)

FDI in first five months of current FY increases by 49.6 percent; Govt’s capital expenditure stands at 13.44 percent (kh 16/01/2022), Govt’s capital expenditure stood only 13.44 percent in the first half of current FY, less than last year’s 14.4 percent (rep 16/01/2022)

Finance Minister Directs Ministries To Spend 30 Per Cent Of Budget Within One Month (rn 17/12/2021)

How pandemic ate up a huge chunk of budget : Rs42.53 billion, nearly half of the total allocated for the health sector, spent to fight the virus and address its impact on livelihood and the economy, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 12/12/2021)

Finance Minister’s discontent over meagre capital expenditure (kh 25/11/2021)

Budget and budget system are in trouble: Finance Minister Sharma (kh 24/11/2021)

Govt yet to settle arrears of over Rs 25 billion of FY 2020/21 (rep 19/11/2021)

Budget crunch hits shelter programme for citizens (ht 27/09/2021)

Lower house endorses budget amid UML protest : The bill now will be sent to the upper house. The government shutdown would be lifted once the bill gets through (kp 20/09/2021)

Selection of undeserving projects is one of the main causes of slow capital expenditure: Finmin Sharma (rep 19/09/2021), Govt spent Rs 207.20 million from state coffers in two days after budget holiday (rep 19/09/2021)

Replacement bill stuck in the parliament, govt expenditure to be affected for few days (kh 14/09/2021), Government faces financial deadlock as budget fails to get  through Parliament : A shutdown situation as no spending allowed and  further delay could lead to a crisis, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 15/09/2021)

Budget plans low-cost meals, monetary aid for the poor, but experts smell electoral motives . Government has yet to identify the prospective beneficiaries, by Anup Ojha (kp 14/09/2021)

Finance Minister presents budget-related Replacement Bill (kh 10/09/2021), Finance Minister Sharma downsizes budget : New budget allocates Rs 1.647 trillion for FY 2021/2 (kh 10/09/2021), Coalition govt budget: From economic relief to additional social security (kh 11/09/2021), Budget size revised to Rs1.63 trillion, with ambitious economic growth : The coalition government led by Nepali Congress has  targeted a 7 percent economic growth, even as experts have warned of possible third Covid-19 wave, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp 11/09/2021), Bill slashes budget by nearly Rs 15 billion (ht 11/09/2021), Substitution Budget: Oxygen and sanitary pad industries to get 100 percent tax exemption for three years (rep 11/09/2021)

Nepal’s budget allocations to repay foreign, domestic loans tripled in five years : Experts say it’s high time governments were more selective in borrowing with the debt to GDP ratio crossing 40 percent, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 29/08/2021)

Govt to announce new budget through ‘substitution bill’ (rep 10/08/2021), Deuba government to revise ordinance budget presented in May-end : Experts say revision to the budget and its size necessary, but the white paper came just to discredit Oli government, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 11/08/2021), National coffers running a deficit of Rs 143 billion (ht 11/08/2021)

Authorities told to refund unspent budget (ht 01/08/2021)

Non-appropriation of budget hits people's residence programme (ht 27/07/2021)

Finance Minister Sharma looks to announce new budget for FY 2021/22 (rep 25/07/2021)

Finance minister presents ordinances on budget at reinstated House : The erstwhile Oli-led government had introduced the budget on May 29 through an ordinance a week after the House was dissolved. Leaders say the option of presenting a supplementary budget remains, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 19/07/2021)

Only 60 Per Cent Of Development Budget Spent In This FY (rn 15/07/2021)

Budget hit as Oli govt nosedives 3 days prior to its implementation (kh 14/07/2021), After court’s observations, questions arise over fate of ordinance budget : The court called the introduction of the budget through  an ordinance a week after House dissolution fraudulent. Legal experts say Deuba government can bring a new one, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 14/07/2021)

More budget for construction of govt buildings (ht 09/07/2021)

Washed out : Officials still make it a point to begin work at the last minute in the thick of the monsoon (kp 23/06/2021)

Budget And Its Governing Principles, by Mukti Rijal (rn 10/06/2021)

What else could have been done in Budget 2078/79?, by Nitish Lal Shrestha (kh 04/06/2021)

A budget without economic objectives : Every government has tried to launch schemes to stir up the public for election gains, by Jagadish Prasad Bist (kp 04/06/2021) [Criminal procedure!]

Licence to plunder : The outrageous announcement erodes years of conservation efforts at the stroke of a pen (kp 02/06/2021), Big budget, big promises : Given that the pandemic is affecting economies everywhere, Nepal’s budget is exceptionally far-fetched, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 02/06/2021)

Budget heavily relies on foreign funds for Covid-19 prevention : Government aims to get Rs 26.21 billion or 71.67 percent of the allocation for  the Covid-19 Prevention and Control Programme from foreign donors, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 02/06/2021)

Budget 2021/22: Positive to the private sector, informal sectors feel neglected (kh 01/06/2021)

Opposition parties term budget as “populist” (kh 30/05/2021), A bloated budget of Rs1.64 trillion through ordinance : With some focus on fighting the coronavirus, the financial plan of Oli administration carries lofty promises which observers say are aimed at the uncertain elections, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp 30/05/2021), Incentives and tax rebates galore in new federal budget with focus on midterm elections : Incentives include deduction of value added tax on diesel and cooking gas for businesses and on payments through electronic mode, by Krishana Prasain (kp 30/05/2021), Government unveils nearly Rs 1.65tn budget for 2021-22 (ht 30/05/2021), Small parties lament a full budget from caretaker government (kh 30/05/2021), All bark and no bite : Reflecting on the government that announced it, Budget 2021-22 is bound to be unimplementable (kp 31/05/2021)

Government unveils Rs 1.647 trillion budget for FY 2021/22 : Allocates Rs. 26.75 billion for vaccination against coronavirus (kh 29/05/2021), Major highlights of budget for fiscal year 2021/22 (rep 29/05/2021)

Do not bring budget through ordinance: Nine former NPC vice-chairmen (kh 27/05/2021)

Oli mulling budget through ordinance as his vote of confidence in Parliament remains pending : The federal budget for the next fiscal year must be presented on May 29. Parliament session is yet to be called for presenting policies and programmes and pre-budget discussions, by Anil Giri (kp 18/05/2021) [Oli needs no parliament, just a president who willingly signs his every ordinance!]

Ill-timed trust vote may scupper pre-budget session : Avoiding the pre-budget discussion is like barring people from participating in the budget process, a former Parliament Secretariat official says, by Binod Ghimire (kp 14/05/2021) [PM Oli does not need a budget. He can rule without one and also without parliament! The money earmarked for the country's development is never spent as planned anyway!]

Things to do before the budget : Institutional structures at the federal level should be reduced by at least a quarter, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp 06/05/2021)

FNCCI seeks a revision in income tax and VAT rate in FY 2021/22 budget (rep 26/04/2021)

Central govt recommended to provide Rs 152.51 billion in fiscal equalization grants to provincial and local govts for next FY (rep 22/04/2021)

Only 20 percent budget spent in eight months, by Shivaraj Bhatta (ae 26/03/2021)

Ministry of Finance begins budget preparations for fiscal year 2021-22 (ht 18/02/2021)

Govt reduces budget size to Rs 1.344 trillion (kh 09/02/2021), Government downgrades budget expenditure by 9 percent : The cutback is based on slowed economic activities and consequent plunge in revenues due to Covid-19, by Sangam Prasain (kp 10/02/2021), Budget size revised down to nearly Rs 1,345 billion (ht 10/02/2021)

Slow capital spending irks FinMin Paudel (ht 25/01/2021)

Capital Budget Spending Stuck At 12.2%, by Modnath Dhakal (rn 06/01/2021)

Lack of budget management affects road construction (ht 04/12/2020)

Capital expenditure at dismal 8.34 per cent (ht 23/11/2020)

पूरक बजेट : एक अनिवार्य विकल्प : प्रादेशिक एवम् स्थानीय सरकार र उद्योग वाणिज्य क्षेत्रका समानान्तर संरचनाहरूलाई रोजगारीका अवसरहरूको पहिचान र सिर्जना गर्न संघीय सरकारले स्रोत र वातावरण प्रदान गर्नुपर्छ [Supplementary budget: a mandatory option : The federal government should provide resources and environment to the provincial and local governments and the parallel structures of industry and commerce to identify and create employment opportunities, by Achyut Wagle (ka 18/11/2020)

Clarification sought for delay in endorsing budget (ht 11/11/2020)

Government looks for more loans as debt balloons : Borrowing from World Bank and others is for capital expenditure and distributive programmes but experts warn it cannot go beyond 50 percent of GDP, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 24/08/2020)

Budget for interest rate subsidies remains unspent as demand for loans shrinks: Government also provides interest subsidies for credit extended under the Youth Self-Employment Programme, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 19/08/2020)

Plan to call bids for all projects by mid-August fails: Officials cite incomplete preparatory works, uncleared past liabilities, and restrictions on movement due to Covid-19 as reasons for delay, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 15/08/2020)

How government scrambles to spend budget, by Nitish Shrestha (kh 12/08/2020)

Finance Ministry issues new guidelines to ensure better capital expenditure: Government agencies taking up development projects are required to invite tender bids by mid-August and award contracts by mid-October, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 20/07/2020)

Government capital expenditure reaches nearly 50 percent after a last minute spending spree: Nearly half of the capital budget has been spent after the Covid-19 outbreak, followed by monsoon season, questioning the effectiveness of the quality of works (kp 17/07/2020)

Budgeting it right: Provincial governments’ appropriations lack vision for ameliorating the social determinants of health (kp 17/06/2020)

Capital spending dismal at fag end of fiscal:  Only 31 per cent development budget spent; Average expenditure in previous years 60pc (ht 17/06/2020)

The budget has failed to take advantage of a critical juncture: The government has, once again, not been able to enact structural change when afforded an opportunity by the extraordinary circumstances, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 03/06/2020)

Federal Budget For Fiscal Year 2020, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km 01/06/2020)

Even ruling party leaders are not impressed with the budget: Opposition party leaders say budget does not address the challenges posed by Covid-19, by Anil Giri (kp 01/06/2020)

Budget fails to fund environmental issues, address challenges, experts say: While the government has increased tax on e-vehicles, backtracking on its commitments, it has also paid little heed to the link between public health and environment, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp 30/05/2020), Former finance ministers describe budget as traditional with nothing new to offer: With more focus on managing costs and cash flows, most of its goals are challenging and difficult to achieve, they say, by Sangam Prasain (kp 30/05/2020)

Despite massive blow to economy from Covid-19, government aims for 7 percent growth: The government’s target is overly ambitious and unrealistic, say experts, especially as the full impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have yet to be felt, by Sangam Prasain (kp 29/05/2020), Budget size reduced by 3.8pc to Rs 1.47 trillion: Due priority given to health, employment generation and relief for crisis-hit businesses; Khatiwada sets 7pc growth target for next fiscal, by Sujan Dhungana (ht), Budget announces significant tax exemptions of up to 75 percent for micro and small industries: The budget for the upcoming fiscal year has sought to provide remedy to industries affected by Covid-19, including tourism, agriculture and small businesses, by Prithvi Man Shrtestha (kp 29/05/2020), Health sector gets 32 percent more budget compared to previous year: Experts say that the budget will be insufficient to deal with the pandemic and resume regular services if the number of Covid-19 cases surges past government estimates, by Arjun Poudel (kp 29/05/2020), Nepal’s budget: Not quite all there: Though the government seems to have its heart in the right place, the plans and allocations announced are underwhelming (kp 29/05/2020), Budget focuses on infrastructure to generate extra jobs, by Umesh Poudel (ht 29/05/2020)

Major programs introduced by the government through the new budget (rep 28/05/2020)

With new budget today, experts foresee a focus on employment and agriculture: Although most experts agree on the focus areas, they are divided on whether the size of the budget must be larger or smaller than in the previous years, by Sangam Prasain and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 28/05/2020)

Bring gender-responsive budget: HoR panel (ht 27/05/2020)

Nepali Congress-formed economic task force suggests smaller budget amid Covid-19 crisis: The committee also suggested a number of measures to rescue the economy marred by the Covid-19 pandemic, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 25/05/2020)

Imperatives Of The Upcoming Fiscal Year Budget, by Mohan Man Swar (rn 23/05/2020)

Nine govt agencies return nearly Rs5 billion for failing to spend budget: The Nepal Army which was allocated a handsome amount of Rs15.1 billion to speed up works related to Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast-Track, has returned Rs2.83 billion through the Defence Ministry, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 21/05/2020)

Capital spending at 28 per cent in first 10 months (ht 15/05/2020)

Prioritise rights issues in upcoming fiscal budget, says NHRC (ht 15/05/2020)

Full-fledged budget on May 28, says FinMin (ht 14/05/2020)

The lockdown budget: The government needs to reassess budget priorities, but it seems reluctant to listen to sound advice, by Achyut Wagle (kp 12/05/2020)

Bring partial budget now, supplementary budget later, urges opposition (ht 12/05/2020)

Fiscal budget to prioritise revitalising crisis-hit economy, by Sujan Dhungana (ht 11/05/2020)

Upcoming budget to put new projects on hold as the economy braces for a hit: The pandemic and the lockdown’s impacts have meant that revenue collection has fallen, forcing the government to revise its budgetary ceilings, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp 09/05/2020), Priorities For The Upcoming Budget, by Dibyeswar Prasad Shrestha (rn 09/05/2020)

Nepal Drops In International Rating On Central Government Budget Transparency (rn 08/05/2020) [see survey related to Nepal], IBP Survey ranks Nepal 65th in terms of budget transparency, accountability (rep 08/05/2020)

Budget Will Address Challenges Posed By COVID-19: Finance Minister (rn 06/05/2020)

Finance minister says revenue gap can be filled through foreign aid (ht) [???]

Budget to focus on health, infra, education and production (ht 01/05/2020), In light of Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences, upcoming budget to focus on creating jobs: The budget for the new fiscal year will prioritise programmes that generate large-scale employment to account for the loss of jobs and return of migrants, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 03/05/2020), Budget planning: The government must buck its own trend of non-performance to ensure employment to Nepalis (kp 04/05/2020)

Govt starts reallocation of financial resources (ht 16/04/2020)

Billions of rupees to be spent by lawmakers could be used to combat Covid-19: Law Minister Tumbahangphe to consult with the parties before taking a decision, by Binod Ghimire (kp 08/04/2020)

Government to divert Rs 136 billion budget to anti-Covid-19 measures: Funds for land acquisition, vehicle procurement and events to go for the disease control, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 06/04/2020)

Budget discussion affected due to lockdown (ht 01/04/2020)

Government whittles down budget after failing to increase spending: Despite the 10 percent cut, it believes that the bold growth target of 8.5 percent can still be achieved, by Sangam Prasain (kp 13/02/2020), Government revises down budget size for 2019-20 by Rs 147bn (ht 13/02/2020)

Mid-term spending: Provinces no better than center; Mid-term spending of six provinces stands at only 12 percent of the total budget (rep 19/01/2020)

Strong government but weak capital expenditure: Capital expenditure lowest in 3 years (rep 13/01/2020)

PM’s 10-yr Rs 131-billion agri projectspent just over 5% in three years, by Shree Ram Subedi (rep 30/12/2019)

Expedite capital spending (ht 22/12/2019)

Govt agencies seek over Rs 20bn additional budget from MoF (ht 21/12/2019)

One of the oldest bazaars in Jhapa falls into decay: Over 5,000 households living around the Bhagudubba area rely on the market for everyday essentials, by Arjun Rajbanshi (kp 05/12/2019)

21 local bodies yet to present budget for fiscal year 2019-20 (ht 03/12/2019)

Capital expenditure only 6% in first four months (rep 20/11/2019), Poor capital spending: The government’s inability to spend the money allocated for public capital expenditure means it is snatching away people’s jobs instead of creating them (ht 21/11/2019), Marching towards ‘Asare Bikash’ again: Developmental works snail paced as four months of the fiscal year pass, by Dinesh Subedi (rep 24/11/2019)

Little above 1pc budget spent in Karnali in first quarter of fiscal year (ht 12/11/2019)

Province 1 spends just four percent of development budget in 1st quarter, by Binod Subedi (rep 04/11/2019)

Development expenditure 4.3pc in Q1: Till mid-Oct govt spent just Rs 17.7bn of allocated Rs 408bn (ht 15/10/2019) [The incompetent and corrupt politicians and administrators will never change!], Dismal spending: Failure to spend capital expenditure will mean no economic growth and no new job creation in the country (ht 16/10/2019) [This is a special form of crime and corruption by the highest circles of politics and administration!], Only 4.41% capital spent in Q1 of FY2019/20 (rep 20/10/2019), Government records poor capital expenditure in the first quarter: Spending totalled Rs18.37 billion out of the Rs408 billion budget as of mid-October, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 22/10/2019)

Budget’s fake economics: How will Nepal achieve 8.5 percent growth? Likely sources of growth do not point to more than a mediocre performance, around four to five percent, by Sukhdev Shah (rep 07/08/2019)

Data shows significant revenue and expenditure progress, but economists cry foul: Revenue and expenditure targets were considerably revised, leading new figures to show marked progress, economists say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 24/07/2019)

Sikta, Postal Highway projects in Banke fail to spend budget, by Arjun Oli (rep 23/07/2019)

Opposition lawmakers demand probe into spending budget at the end of fiscal year: The provincial government engage in organising events to avoid budget freeze, lawmakers say, by Deo Narayan Sah (kp 22/07/2019)

Capital spending at 73 pc in 2018-19: Experts urge enhancing capacity  of bureaucrats, contractors (ht 17/07/2019)

Govt yet to spend almost 50pc of development budget for 2018-19 (ht 10/07/2019), Government capital spending dismal yet again, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 11/07/2019)

Finance Minister defends domestic borrowing target (rep 10/07/2019)

HoR passes budget for 2019-20 (ht 26/06/2019)

The new budget offers nothing new: For the last 50 years, Nepal’s economic priorities have remained the same—with no noticeable improvements, by Niraj KC (kp 24/06/2019)

Half of capital budget for 2018-19 yet to be spent (ht 21/06/2019)

Nothing new to offer: The provincial budgets are a mere copy of the federal budget with unrealistic goals, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 19/06/2019)

We need to focus on welfare and the digital economy: The recently announced budget is business as usual and more suited to the last century, by Bimal Pratap Shah (kp 17/06/2019)

Province govts unveiling budgets totaling Rs 250 bn today (rep 16/06/2019), Provincial governments’ combined budget soars to Rs 270 billion: Seven provincial governments have based their budgets on the federal grant and revenue collected from local levels (kp 17/06/2019), Seven provincial govts present budgets, by Sujan Dhungana (ht 17/06/2019), Provinces bring Rs 260 billion budget with focus on agro, tourism, infrastructure (rep 17/06/2019), Big and distributive: Budgets of provincial governments (rep 18/06/2019)

Decoding budget: One striking feature of Nepal budgeting has been that almost the entire amount of revenue collected from domestic sources gets spent for recurrent expenditures, by Sukhdev Shah (rep 11/06/2019)

The budget blues: Nepal’s poor spending capacity, by Subhanu Khanal (ht 07/06/2019)

Playing God: For government to promote private sector, it must learn to play like God, which provides destinies and allows humans to fulfill them while remaining invisible, by Bishal Thapa (rep 04/06/2019)

Budget Review 2019: Balanced but ambitious, by Satyendra Timilsina (ht 03/06/2019)

Finance minister defends pork barrel funding, but analysts are unconvinced: Khatiwada faces criticism for bowing to pressure and giving Rs60 million each to lawmakers to spend in  their constituencies, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 31/05/2019), Finance minister defends funds for lawmakers, by Sagar Ghimire (rep 31/05/2019), Education budget courts criticism: The amount earmarked is not enough to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Education, educationists say, by Binod Ghimire (kp 31/05/2019), Budget receives mixed reactions from private sector: The Rs 1.53 trillion financial plan bets on achieving economic growth of 8.5 percent (kp 31/05/2019), FinMin denies budget is distributive (ht 31/05/2019), Ambitious budget: The budget for the next fiscal year looks ambitious and unrealistic given the government’s weak spending capacity (ht 31/05/2019), Federal budget receives mix reaction in provinces (rep 31/05/2019)

Rs 1.53 trillion: Ambitious and unrealistic; The government’s financial plan lays emphasis on infrastructure projects,  but reveals little about how it will accomplish them, by Sangam Prasain (kp 30/05/2019), Govt unveils Rs 1.53 trillion budget: Focus on infra development; Inflation to remain within 6pc; Elderly allowance up by Rs 1,000; Civil servants’ salaries raised by up to 20pc; Economic growth projected at 8.5pc in next fiscal, by Sujan Dhungana (ht 30/05/2019), Budget For Fiscal Year of 2019: Magic Or Reality, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km 30/05/2019), Govt unveils ‘crowd-pleasing’ budget of Rs 1.53 trillion, by Sagar Ghimire (rep), A populist budget: Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada has failed to resist political pressure (kp 30/05/2019), Budget 2019-2020: Pieces of Rs1.53 trillion pie (kp 30/05/2019), Senior citizens welcome increase in allowance, but say they are not fully happy: Government has increased senior citizen allowance by Rs 1,000, by Anup Ojha (kp 30/05/2019), Health budget increased marginally,but experts say it’s insufficient, by Arjun Poudel (kp 30/05/2019), Rs 68 billion allocated for health, population (ht 30/05/2019), Education gets 10.68pc of budget share, half of what government had pledged: Finance minister has added some new programmes but without adequate funding, by Binod Ghimire (kp 30/05/2019), Budget for education, science and technology increased (ht 30/05/2019), Energy, irrigation and water supply projects get high priority, by Prahlad Rijal (kp 30/05/2019). Road, rail and water transport infrastructure gets Rs163.52 billion budget: The government will now build separate by-laws for faster implementation of large scale development projects and will encourage execution of the construction works in three shifts, by Prahlad Rijal (kp 30/05/2019), Federal government reduces the budget for provincial governments: Finance minister announces Rs99.85b for next fiscal against Rs 113.43b in the current fiscal, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 30/05/2019) [Continued recentralisation of a state that had been hopeful to become a federal republic!], Allocation of Rs 60 million to lawmakers draws public ire: The pork barrel spending will cost the state Rs 9.9b, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp 30/05/2019) [Continued corruption and taking advantage of male high-caste parliamentarians, who are put up by the male Brahmin leaders at the top of the parties! Uncontrolled money distribution in arbitrary and uncoordinated development projects is not the task of the legislators!], Constituency Development Fund increased by 50 pc despite criticism: Each FPTP lawmaker to get Rs 60 million (rep), No silver lining for private sector, by Rupak D Sharma (ht 30/05/2019), Economic diplomacy, disaster management budget’s priorities (ht 30/05/2019), E-vehicles to combat increasing air pollution (ht 30/05/2019), Infrastructure projects get priority, by Umesh Poudel (ht 30/05/2019), Government raises tax on imported goods (ht 30/05/2019), Govt hikes salary of govt employees upto 20 pc (rep 30/05/2019), Rs 141b for post-quake reconstruction (rep 30/05/2019), Transportation sector gets priority in budget (rep 30/05/2019), Budget focuses on farm commercialization, by Nikeeta Gautam (rep 30/05/2019)

To achieve high growth trajectory, government needs to set priorities right: Oli administration has both opportunities and challenges, experts and industrialists say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 29/05/2019)

Does size of the budget really matter? Expansion is necessary to fulfil needs of all tiers of government, say experts, by Sujan Dhungana (ht 28/05/2019)

Government should widen tax base and strengthen tax regime, analysts say: Economists lay emphasis on putting sustainable and broad-based systems  in place rather than implementing ad hoc measures, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 27/05/2019)

Pvt sector seeks programmes that encourage skilled workers: Only 10 pc of the country’s 12  million workers are engaged in the formal sector, by Umesh Poudel (ht 26/05/2019)

Call to prioritise infrastructure  development, by Arpana Ale Magar (ht 25/05/2019)

Production boost should be given priority, by Sujan Dhunagna (ht 24/05/2019)

MoPIT to focus on realistic projects for fiscal budget (ht 22/05/2019)

‘Bring budget to coordinate three tiers of govt’, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 21/05/2019)

Finance minister should avoid populist budget and focus on realistic programmes, experts say: Khatiwada will present budget for upcoming fiscal year amid mounting challenges, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 20/05/2019)

On education, government looks generous with words but stingy with funds: Despite pledges to improve quality of education, government unlikely to increase budget for the sector, by Binod Ghimire (kp 19/05/2019)

House panel submits recommendation for next fiscal year’s budget (ht 19/05/2019)

Private sector presents budget wish list to Finance Ministry, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 18/05/2019)

Listen to lawmakers: The upcoming fiscal budget must be prepared based on the suggestions given by lawmakers during the pre-budget debates (ht 16/05/2019)

Slow capital expenditure continues to bedevil development projects, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 14/05/2019), There will be no excuse for justifying budget underspending next fiscal: FinMin (rep 15/05/2019) [The govt claimed similar things a year ago!]

Keep aside budget for consolidating federalism: MPs, by Jagdishor Panday (kp 13/05/2019)

Average daily capital spending at Rs 41 million: Experts say withholding payments may be an indication of corrupt motives (rep 13/05/2019)

Report says budget should focus on economic growth, sustainability (ht 11/05/2019), Acceleration of project development to be prioritised (ht 11/05/2019)

Former FinMins urge Khatiwada to bring resource-sustained budget for next fiscal (ht 09/05/2019)

MoPIT budget set to increase by 35 percent (rep 09/05/2019)

Two-thirds of budget of Kathmandu Tarai Expressway unspent (brep 09/05/2019)

Survey: Budget should give priority to economic growth, sustainability (rep 09/05/2019)

Government raising Rs 86 billion in domestic debt in final quarter (rep 09/05/2019)

President hints at populist programmes in upcoming budget, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 04/05/2019)

Ministries face pressure of pork barrel projects (ht 26/04/2019)

Capital spending at 35pc till mid-April: Government urged to clear bottlenecks  at bureaucratic and contracting level (ht 17/04/2019)

Govt intensifies work on budget formulation: Finance Ministry to limit the budget within the NPC ceiling of Rs 1.5 trillion (rep 16/04/2019)

Government spent Rs 222.83b in last month of fiscal 2017-18: 20.55 percent of the total budget of over Rs1 trillion was spent in mid June-mid July, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 13/04/2019)

After promises failed, secretaries told to focus on ‘flagship’ projects: It is implementation, not the addition of loaded phrases  in policies and programmes, that matters, officials say, by Anil Giri (kp 11/04/2019)

Local units scattering budget on small projects: Ministry report, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 31/03/2019)

Eight months into the fiscal year, local governments have yet to present budget, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 24/03/2019)

Capital spending low despite simplified procurement process, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 23/03/2019)

Perennial problem (ht 20/03/2019)

Parliamentary supremacy in govt spending under serious question: Over Rs 800 billion spent out of budget in last three years, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 17/02/2019)

Govt urged to allocate budget scientifically (ht 16/02/2019)

Government yet to settle Rs 101 billion from FY2016/17 (rep 11/02/2019)

80pc of foreign aid disbursed via budgetary system (ht 17/01/2019)

Govt’s capital expenditure still sluggish: Only 17.68pc of Rs 313.9 billion allocated spent in first half of fiscal (ht 16/01/2019)

Systemic reform in overall budgetary system advised, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 28/12/2018)

Govt yet again fails to improve budget spending capacity: Capital expenditure stands at 12.59pc of the total allocation in first five months, by Sujan Dhungana (ht 19/12/2018)

Ministries ‘demand billions of rupees’, by Rajesh Khanall (kp 20/11/2018)

Provinces spend less than 5pc of allocated budget, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 29/10/2018)

First quarter of FY2018/19: Top ministries spend only 10% of total budget, by Bishnu Tamang (rep 28/10/2018)

Govt expenses less than revenue collection (ht 26/10/2018)

Capital expenditure still slow despite extra time: According to the Finance Ministry, poor accountability on the implementation side resulted in slow capital spending (kp 22/10/2018)

Government takes time on internal borrowing as revenue exceeds expenses, by Bishnu Tamang (rep 24/09/2018)

Khatiwada says supplementary budget unlikely (kp 19/09/2018)

Supplementary budget ‘gets PM Oli’s green light’, by Rewati Sapkota (ht 23/08/2018)

Government transferred Rs 3.66b in last month of FY: Rs 1.66 billion disbursed to pay for conflict victims and their families (rep 28/07/2018)

Govt treasury empty after haphazard spending in last month: It is unusual in our context for the government to have zero balance as it may not be able to pay for any possible emergency, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 21/07/2018)

Year-end spending rush boosts cap expenditure (kp 19/07/2018)

Government spent record Rs 33b Sunday (rep 17/07/2018) [???], Over 30% of development budget spent in 12th month (rep 18/07/2018), Last minute spending is killing prosperity dreams (rep 18/07/2018), Govt fails to spend even revised budget (ht 18/07/2018)

Govt rejigs Rs 200b unspent budget (kp 15/07/2018)

PM adjusting ministry-wise programme in budget, by Rewati Sapkota (ht 15/07/2018)

Bungling on budget: Federal government was much criticized for exercising centralized attitude in allocation of budget. Provincial governments repeated that mistake, by Raj Kumar KC (rep 12/07/2018)

Govt hiding budget transfer details since February (rep 10/07/2018)

Govt spent Rs 10b in recurrent expenses Friday, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 09/07/2018)

End of fiscal year spending results in shoddy work: Rupandehi looks for ways to spend Rs 2 billion in 15 days, by Binod Pariyar (rep 29/06/2018), Eleventh-hour spending continues unabated: Several infrastructure projects are being implemented in haste so that all works are complete before the fiscal year-end. Locals are disappointed with the quality of work, by Mahesh Kumar Das (rep 29/06/2018)

Budget transparency: A must to achieve goals, by Dutta Shree Duwadi (Khanal) (ht 28/06/2018)

Govt accepting Rs 25 billion off-budget foreign aid annually (rep 26/06/2018)

Missed opportunities: The budget fails to create confidence in the private sector and encourage investment, by Udaya Shumsher Rana (kp 22/06/2018)

Govt unlikely to spend even revised budget (ht 22/06/2018)

Budget fails to usher reforms in tax system (ht 21/06/2019)

Bleak progress in spending dev budget despite stable govt: Only 30 days remain to spend half of the budget (rep 17/06/2018)

All provinces table budgets (kp 16/06/2018), All 7 provinces table budgets, programs for FY2018/19 (rep 16/06/2018), Provincial governments present budget (ht 16/06/2018)

'Budget has not given enough priority to infrastructure building', interview with Biswo Poudel (rep 13/06/2018)

Budget projection for three fiscal years: Govt to lower recurrent expenses, raise dev budget (rep 09/06/2018)

Realistic aims: Finance minister has come up only with plans and programmes that can be implemented, if tried honestly, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp 07/06/2018)

Foreign investors ‘disappointed’, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 06/06/2018)

Opportunities squandered: The budget would have been a good expenditure and revenue plan under normal times. However, given the sizable electoral mandate, its falls short of introducing transformative reform measures, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 04/06/2018)

Government restores practice of 3-year expenditure plans: MTEF makes budget cycle more dynamic and aligned with periodic plans (rep 02/06/2018)

Budget fails to please even ruling party MPs: FinMin Khatiwada faces ire for saying that he was forced to include Constituency Development Fund (kp 01/06/2018), Business-as-usual budget: What the country needs is a quantum leap in the economy, not incremental change, by Yoga Nath Poudel (kp 01/06/2018), Groping in the dark, by Om Astha Rai (nt 01/06/2018), Budget goals are
attainable says finance minister (kp 02/06/2018), Budget private sector-friendly, claims FinMin (ht 02/06/2018), A Trillion Rupee Budget! Maybe, our government should really ask the experts on how to take care of the poor, unemployed and the old instead of promising us the moon and then providing peanuts, by Guffadi (kp 02/06/2018), Pvt sector says federal budget ‘bureaucratic’ (ht 03/06/2018), Budget for gender sensitivity and climate change to see new record (rep 03/06/2018), Budget gives Rs 730m for tourism infrastructure: Nine tourism bodies did not receive capital expenditure, by Arpana Ale Magar (rep 03/06/2018), FinMin says budget inclusive, oriented towards prosperity (kp 04/06/2018), Provinces urge centre to reconsider budget, by Pratap Bista (kp 04/06/2018)

First federal budget aims 8pc growth: Focuses on energy, infrastructure and proposes a string of reforms in social and agriculture sectors, by Sangam Prasain (kp), NRA budget up 3.35pc to Rs151.08b (kp 30/05/2018), Education budget fails to match government’s lofty goals: Healthcare receives major boost with a substantial increase of 44pc to Rs 56.41 billion (kp 30/05/2018), Rs 56 billion earmarked for healthcare (ht 30/05/2018), Rs1.09 trillion for transport, infra projects (kp 30/05/2018), Budget shines light on energy, hydropower sector: Govt will develop 750MW West Seti with internal resources: FinMin, by Bibek Subedi (kp 30/05/2018), FinMin presents Rs 1,315-bn budget: Major focus on transforming production sector and development of physical infrastructure, by Pushpa Raj Acharydya (ht 30/05/2018), Full of promises, but lacking focus: NC (ht 30/05/2018), Budget dashes hopes for faster industrial development, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 30/05/2018), Budget more focused on physical infrastructure, by Umesh Poudel (ht 30/05/2018), Ambitious budget, focus on jobs and federal structure, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 30/05/2018), CMs unhappy with budget (rep 30/05/2018), Government slashes environment budgets by Rs 5.56 billion (rep 30/05/2018), Khatiwada dispels doubts on 8pc growth, by Bibek Subedi (kp 31/05/2018), Eight per cent growth target achievable: FinMin; Says as a sign of respect to Mahat, he’ll aim for 7.9 per cent economic growth (ht 31/05/2018), Budget fails to impress differently-abled people: Government makes grand plans every year, ‘but never implements them’ (kp 31/05/2018), FM trims Chure, forest budgets, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp 31/05/2018), ‘Budget is okay but the higher taxes are not’, by Shankar Acharya (kp 31/05/2018), Budget lacks vision, claims NC (ht 31/05/201), Lost opportunity: There is nothing to be gravely disappointed in, but Khatiwada seems to have squandered the opportunity to make the budget a watershed in Nepal’s economic reforms (ht 31/05/2018), Dealers elated as autos termed ‘non-luxurious goods’ in budget (ht 01/06/2018)

Infra, energy, agriculture, tourism in budget focus, by Anil Giri (kp 29/05/2018), FinMin to present federal budget today (ht 29/05/2018), Govt bringing major reform programs to breathe new life into economy: Finance minister tabling first full-fledged federal budget today (rep 29/05/2018)

Survey paints bleak financial picture: Growing budget deficit; Depleting foreign reserves; Per capita debt Rs28,963; GDP growth 5.9 percent to Rs3 trillion (kp 28/05/2018), Economic mapping of provinces (kp 28/05/2018)

Govt issues directive on formulation of budget and plan of local levels (ht 28/05/2018)

Budget to change tax rates massively (ht 27/05/2018)

The politics of budgeting: The people should not be taxed heavily so that politicians can indulge in their desires, by Gokarna Awasthi (kp 22/05/2018)

MPs ask FinMin to do ‘reality check’ before preparing budget (kp 11/05/2018), Govt urged to be more realistic in allocation of fiscal budget (ht 15/05/2018)

Each province to get Rs 19b in fed grant: NPC says around 15 percent of upcoming central budget could go to provincial and local governments, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 09/05/2018)

Industrialists, bankers put forward budget wish list (kp 08/05/2018)

Trimming the budget deficit: Reducing government spending and raising taxes may not be the right way to do it, by Jagadish Prasad Bist and Aadersh Raj Joshi (kp 03/05/2018), Upcoming budget to safeguard domestic production (kp 04/05/2018), FinMin not banking on NRB guv! Excludes him from budget formulation team (ht 04/05/2018)

Budget session to start on May 6: Cabinet proposes date to President (kp 28/04/2018), The new budget: Backed by a massive mandate to redefine the course of Nepal, Oli government should make the most of it (kp 30/04/2018), Pre-budget discussions start on May 9 (kp 03/05/2018)

FinMin: No populist programmes in budget: He also criticised the previous govt for issuing a populist budget that created excess liabilities in the govt’s financial plan (kp 27/04/2018), 2018-19 fiscal budget to be balanced, genuine and tactful (ht 27/04/2018)

Govt looks to FDI to cover budget deficit: The govt does not have  the funds necessary to implement the federal system and achieve development goals (kp 21/04/2018), ‘External finance crucial to achieve SDGs’ (ht 21/04/2018)

NPC fixes budget ceiling of Rs 1,200bn for next fiscal (ht 20/04/2018)

Provincial plans: Planning and budgetary exercises provinces have done will help them gain experience for the next fiscal (ht 18/04/2018)

Govt utilises 35 percent of capital budget in 9 months: Some reasons for low capital spending are delays in  appointment of contractors, land acquisition, settlement of disputes related to cost variation and permit issuance (kp 15/04/2018)

Rs 155b allocated out of budget for road projects: Ambition of finance ministers behind financial indiscipline: Experts (rep 15/04/2018)

1.6 trillion rupees budget suggested (ht 12/04/2018)

Provincial, local govts urged to follow budget rules (ht 25/03/2018)

'Climate relevant' budget allocation said to be unrealistic: Experts stress revisiting categorization code to make it more practical, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 25/03/2018)

Liquidity Crunch and Unspent Budget, by Uttam Maharjan (rn 22/03/2018)

Budget ceiling likely to be Rs 1,500 billion, by Rewati Sapkota (ht 21/03/2018)

Govt mulls budget transfer to local bodies based on spending, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 20/03/2018)

Rs 75bn to be transferred to local bodies today: Central government in  uncomfortable position, budget deficit to shoot up to Rs 56.56bn (ht 15/03/2018)

MoF white paper likely to focus on energy, transport, reconstruction (ht 13/03/2018)

MoF revises down spending target, growth rate (ht 08/03/2018), Govt to introduce austerity measures as deficit widens: Government’s budget  deficit stood at Rs49 billion as of Tuesday, which is around 1.9 percent of GDP (kp 08/03/2018), Govt revises down growth forecast to 6 pc, by Sagar Ghimire (rep 08/03/2018), Government announces belt-tightening measures amid budget shortfall (rep 08/03/2018)

Budget formulation in limbo with NPC vice-chair post vacant (ht 06/03/2018)

Non-budgetary demand soars to Rs 382 billion (rep 27/02/2018)

Budget formulation process formally begins (kp 24/01/2018)

Govt uses only 14pc of capital budget in first half (kp 15/01/2018), Prioritise capital spending: Full-fledged implementation of national pride projects can ramp up capital expenditure (kp 17/01/2018)

Government mulling over Rs 1,570bn budget for next fiscal (ht 05/01/2018)

Govt hard pressed to arrange fiscal resources, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 04/02/2018)

MoF identifies sources for budget financing (ht 02/01/2018)

Delay in fiscal commission appointments may hit budget transfers (rep 28/12/2017)

Cringed CapEx: Low capital spending affects the quality of our vital energy, road and telecom infrastructures, by Kartika Yadav (rep 20/12/2017)

Local units struggle to spend allocated budget (ht 12/12/2017), Low spending: Major reason for the local units being unable to spend the budget was the delay in the endorsement of the Local Level Operation Act by Parliament (ht 13/12/2017)

NPC to start planning budget for three fiscals from next week (ht 04/12/2017)

‘Elections unlikely to affect capital expenditure’ (ht 03/11/2017)

Agriculture budget being ‘misused’ in eastern region (ht 27/10/2017)

Utilise funds on time: Govt must resort to carrot and stick approach to expedite capital spending (kp 24/10/2017)

Country seeks budgetary support from World Bank (ht 18/10/2017)

Ministries seek additional budget of Rs 200bn, by Sabin Mishra (ht 17/10/2017) [???]

Committed liability of govt at 59pc of budget (ht 10/10/2017)

Budget execution off to a slow start (rep 19/09/2017)

Low capex spending and widening trade deficit, by Saurav Bhasyal (ht 06/08/2017)

Huge financial irregularities in targeted programs, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep 28/07/2017)

80 pc budget spent on war victims (ht 25/07/2017)

Nearly Rs 900 million budget frozen in Kanchanpur, by Rajendra Bhatta (rep 24/07/2017)

‘Govt projects must finalise contracts in 1st three months’ (kp 20/07/2017), Time-bound action plan to ramp up capex, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 20/07/2017)

Rs 47 billion in recurrent budget spent in 10 days as FY nears end, by Bal Krishna Gyawali (rep 13/07/2017), Capital spending bunches towards year-end, againGovt spent Rs3.5 billion per day in the last 21 days alone, almost 36pc of the total budget (kp 16/07/2017), Rs 46b spent on last 3 days of FY, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 16/07/2017), Govt fails to meet budget expenditure target (ht 16/07/2017), Low spending: Those responsible should own up responsibility and do something to ensure that the development budget is not only spent but spent wisely (ht 17/07/2017), Down the drain: Underutilisation and year-end bunching of capital budget are tantamount to financial misuse (kp 18/07/2017)

Stingy budget: Power has been devolved to local units, but they have not received matching funding, by Khimlal Devkota (kp 07/07/2017)

Rs 88.53bn raised from domestic borrowing (ht 06/07/2017)

More budget sought for education sector (ht 05/07/2017)

Failure to execute budget results to Rs 221b cash surplus (rep 05/07/2017)

Dismal NRA performance hits govt fiscal spending target (ht 29/06/2017)

Funding from friends: What this year’s budget says about Nepal’s changing bilateral and multilateral ties, by Binayak Basnyat and Kamal Bista (kp 28/06/2017)

Government on track to miss budget execution target yet again (ht 16/06/2017), Govt unlikely to meet capital expenditure target (kp 27/06/2017)

Local units told to table budget on July 9: Central budget-preparation process replicated at the local level, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 14/06/2017) [Most of the local units will hardly be elected until then!]

Integrated financial info system mulled (kp 07/06/2017)

No specific program for poverty alleviation in new budget: PAF (rep 07/06/2017)

Participatory budgeting: Power to grassroots; Newly elected local governments can in many ways exercise powers comparable to that of Singha Durbar, by Thaneshwar Bhusal (kp 07/05/2017)

Application of MTEF can make budget more realistic: Experts, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 07/06/2017)

Devil is in details: The budget, by Hisila Yami (ht 07/06/2017)

Bloated budget: Fiscal transfer to local bodies warranted a bigger budget, but its implementation will be challenging, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 05/06/2017)

Ministries allowed to spend right away (kp 31/05/2017)

Govt unveils Rs 1,279b budget for 2017-18, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 30/05/2017), Empowering local units major focus of budget: The government has also authorised the local bodies to manage all the expenditure and operations of the health centres, health posts and sub-health posts, by Binod Ghimire (kp 30/05/2017), An annual ritual: Govt should ensure that some crucial areas mentioned in the budget are handled well (kp 30/05/2017), Budget 2017-18 (kp 30/05/2017), Infra sector gains priority; energy projects get Rs62.5b, by Bibek Subedi (kp 30/05/2017), Federal budget for agri sector slashed by 15pc to Rs30.4b (kp 30/05/2017), Rs 15.34bn allocated for forest conservation (ht 30/05/2017), 1.28 trillion rupees, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 30/05/2017), Action counts: Ensuring a full and effective implementation of our budgets is necessary for translating our development priorities into reality (ht 31/05/2017), Annual Budget For Fiscal Year 2017 (2074), by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km 02/06/2017), New budget more an aspiration than a framework that can be implemented, interview with Andreas Bauer (rep 03/06/2017)

New measures to ramp up capex introduced (ht 30/05/2017)

Govt gets leeway to frame budget of Rs1,280 billion (kp 29/05/2017)

Govt unlikely to meet revised capex target (ht 28/05/2017)

Budget to take on federal structure: Before proper implementation of budget, the government will have to prepare a conducive environment for economic development, by Pawan Timilsina (ht 28/05/2017)

Lawmakers press govt to continue constituency dev funds (rep 27/05/2017) [a source for endless corruption on a failed way to development!!]

Govt policies and programmes: Budget focus on local body empowerment, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 26/05/2017), ‘Local bodies must get adequate budget’ (kp 27/05/2017)

‘Focus on infra development’ (ht 24/05/2017)

Recurrent spending to surge in 2017-18: Government has always been criticised for increasing the size of its recurrent budget, while being unable to utilise funds allocated for capital spending (kp 23/05/2017)

Annual policies reach President: Fiscal programmes likely to be read out on Wednesday (kp 22/05/2017)

Govt preparing to table full-fledged budget on May 29, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 19/05/2017), Caretaker government to present new fiscal budget (ht 21/05/2017), Full budget on May 29: Expect no new programs, says Finance Minister Mahara (ht 23/05/2017), Government forges consensus to bring full-fledged budget (rep 23/05/2017)

Debt collection suspended as govt savings top Rs262b, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 17/05/2017), Rs 235bn remains idle due to slow expenditure (ht 17/05/2017), Low spending: It is the government which needs to make massive investment in infrastructure development in targeted areas. No growth is possible unless the government increases its spending capacity (ht 18/05/2017)

Budget for local units: Constituency Development Fund to be discontinued, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 17/05/2017), MoFALD prepares to double local unit budget (rep 17/05/2017)

Draft bills on public finance mgmt soon: MoF, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 15/05/2017)

Energy ministry top performer in budget spending: Achieves 68 percent spending progress till mid-April (rep 15/05/2017)

Industry Ministry seeks more funds: The Industry Ministry failed to implement programmes within their budget of Rs8.26 billion (kp 12/05/2017) [???], MoI seeks to lift industrial sector’s ontribution to GDP (ht 12/05/2017)

EC to allow government to launch budget before completion of polls, by Bibek Subedi (kp 11/05/2017)

Parties dwell on ad hoc budget on May 29 (kp 09/05/2017)

‘Ideally budget should be announced on May 29’, by Krishna Bahadur Mahara (kp 07/05/2017)

‘Early budget pointless as working style unchanged’ (kp 04/05/2017)

Finance Ministry recommends creating transitional budget, by Bibek Subedi (kp 03/05/2017)

EC asks govt not to present budget between elections (kp 30/04/2017)

Finance ministry still to finalise grant amount for 744 local bodies (ht 30/04/2017)

Rs233.6b sits idle in state coffers: Slow capital spending blamed for excessive collection of funds (kp 28/04/2017)

Major parties agree to put budget on hold (kp 27/04/2017)

Capital expenditure 36 per cent in nine months (kp 18/04/2017)

MoI unveils priority areas for next fiscal year: Job creation, promotion of business-friendly environment remain at the top of the list (ht 18/04/2017)

Budget 2017-18: Govt to transfer funds to local bodies directly, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 12/04/2017)

Budget formulation: Govt at a loss for lack of lawss to manage public finance, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 05/04/2017)

Accountability crisis: Unspent budget funds should be returned to taxpayers until capital expenditure rises, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp 26/03/2017)

Government plans to increase capital spending next fiscal (ht 12/03/2017), Capital spending at 21pc as ministries fail to use funds (kp 15/03/2017)

MPs slam transfer of funds to non-budgetary headings (kp 10/03/2017), Fund transfer to small projects draws flak, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 10/03/2017)

Discussion on budget for next fiscal begins, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 07/03/2017)

Ministries to get spending authority a day after budget: The government’s move  is aimed at expediting  public spending, especially capital spending (kp 05/03/2017)

Spending on infra lowest among strategic sectors: Only 15.56pc of allocation for infrastructure development spent (ht 05/03/2017)

FinMin seeks fund transfer of Rs 100b ahead of elections: Chief Secretary Somlal Subedi opposes the proposal, by Anil Giri (kp 23/02/2017)

Govt to cut short budget implementation process: To end practice of seeking NPC’s permission to implement development projects (kp 21/02/2017), Finance Ministry revises budget downward (rep 21/02/2017)

Rs 14.86 billion dev budget spent in last 25 days (rep 09/02/2017)

What’s the hold-up? Delay by line ministries in the extension of spending authority is surprising and worrying (kp 07/02/2017)

Budget session crosses 10 months, by Ashok Dahal (rep 04/02/2017) [!!]

AgriMin’s budget ceiling for next FY up 11.48pc: The upper limit of  the ministry’s finances  has been fixed at  Rs30.58 billion (kp 03/02/2017)

Govt bodies at a loss for lack of right to spend: On average, each ministry has extended spending authority to about 80pc projects and programmes, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 01/02/2017), Little progress: Instructions and orders alone will not resolve the problem of low spending; it is a matter of strong political will to sincerely remove all the impediments on the way (ht 02/02/2017)

Budget ceiling to hover around Rs1.2-1.3 trillion, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 26/01/2017), Resource committee caps next year’s budget at Rs1,206 billion (kp 31/01/2017)

Govt formulates strategy to make budget gender responsive (ht 22/01/2017)

Supplementary budget unlikely (kp 19/01/2017)

Ramp up spending: That govt hasn’t acted, despite knowing pitfalls of low capital expenditure, is embarrassing (kp 17/01/2017), Low capital expenditure: Begging for money but not having a plan to spend it is an age-old problem in Nepal, by Sujeev Shakya (kp 17/01/2017), Govt to unveil action plan to ramp up capital expenditure, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 18/01/2017), Govt unveils Immediate Implementation Action Plan (rep 19/01/2017)

Challenges in budget implementation, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 05/01/2017)

The Siraha model: In all future national budgets at least half the development expenditure should be earmarked for quick-yielding projects, by Sukhdev Shah (28/12/2016)

Only 20 percent of budget spent in five and half months, by Kuvera Chalise (rep 26/12/2016)

Capex gathers pace in fifth month of fiscal (ht 18/12/2016)

Rs 100-bn supplementary budget on cards (ht 12/12/2016) [You hardly spend anything of the original budget! Why a supplementary budget?]

MoI faces budget crunch to implement new projects (ht 10/12/2016)

Always the same: The budget spent on the development projects at the last moment makes no sense as it compromises on the quality of work (ht 06/12/2016)

‘Supplementary budget should be reformative’ (ht 06/12/2016)

Will govt be able to bring supplementary budget?, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 15/11/2015)

MoF ramps up monitoring of ministries (ht 28/10/2016)

Treasury surplus soars to Rs191b as capital spending slacks (kp 18/10/2016), Govt expenditure at 12.37pc: Only 3.42 per cent of total allocated budget of Rs 311.95 billion for development works spent in the first quarter of current fiscal year (ht 18/10/2016)

Capital expenditure fails to pick up pace: Only 0.9 per cent of Rs 311.9 billion spent so far this fiscal year, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp 25/09/2016), Get down to business: Govt should increase the size of capital budget and utilise what is allocated for capital spending (kp 26/09/2016), Buck the trend: Govt should take immediate steps to increase the level of capital spending (kp 30/09/2016)

Finance minister seeks resources for supplementary budget (ht 05/09/2016), Budget size likely to go up by Rs100b: The government has around Rs 68 billion in extra funds at its disposal (kp 06/09/2016), FM Mahara: No plan to bring supplementary budget, by Kuvera Chalise (rep 09/09/2016)

Let us get fiscal: The budget does raise concern, not due to the size per se, but because of where the money will end up, by Ram C. Acharya (kp 25/07/2016)

Billions in unspent dev budget for Tarai frozen (kp 21/07/2016)

Delay in getting NPC approval despite early budget, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 21/07/2016)

Govt spent 71.47pc of budget last fiscal (ht 17/07/2016)

Insulate the budget: There is no dignity in holding budget hostage to political point-scoring (kp 15/07/2016)

Parliament passes Appropriation Bill: For the first time in 15 years, govt has timely authority to spend; Raises hopes that development spending would be expedited (kp 10/07/2016), There’s room for some missing projects: PM (ht 10/07/2016), Welcome first step: A timely budget is only the first step in boosting the govt’s spending capacity (kp 11/07/2016), Political row put on hold 3 key bills on budget, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 14/07/2016)

CPN-Maoist Centre may block budget, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht 01/07/2016)

Lack of accountants in govt offices affects country’s capital spending, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 22/06/2016)

The big size of the budget will not  necessarily lead to a rise in inflation, by Ruzel Shrestha (kp 19/06/2016)

Budget blues: Drastically increasing the budget without improving absorption capacity is reckless and shows a lack of accountability, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 17/06/2016)

Thinking global: People judge the success of politicians based on how their consumption patterns changed after coming into power; It is always interesting to hear former finance ministers who did not deliver on budgetary promises criticise the same mistakes the present incumbent makes, by Sujeev Shakya (kp 07/06/2016), Brewing fiscal anarchy: Budget sounds more like a compendium of aspirations rather than a credible plan backed by adequate budgetary allocation or sound justification, by Ram Sharan Mahat (kp 14/06/2016)

Social Protection In Budget, by Lok Nath Bhusal (rn 07/06/2016)

Inflationary Pressure On Budget, by Umesh Thapa (rn 04/06/2016)

Holding Budgetary Criticisms On A Scanner, by Narad Bharadwaj (kp 03/06/2016), Big budget: Implementation needed, by Namrata Sharma (ht 03/06/2016)

Macroeconomic risks: The budget could destabilise the macro economy and undermine the country’s development efforts, by Tula Raj Basyal (kp 01/06/2016), Budget For FY 2016 (2073) And Its Impact On Economy, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km 01/06/2016)

Budget Sends Ripples In Opposition, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn 01/06/2016)

Congress seeks panel to probe budget leak: Says Parliament’s sovereignty undermined; Obstructs House session, by Binod Ghimire (kp 31/05/2016), NC disrupts Parliament: Seeks probe into leaks regarding vital information of budget, by Prakash Acharya (ht 31/05/2016), NC disrupts House debate over budget leak, by Ashok Dahal (rep 31/05/2016), Govt to set up probe panel (kp 01/06/2016)

Bloated budget raises inflation fear: Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel tables Rs 1048.92 billion financial outlay, exceeding the initial ceiling of Rs 909 billion, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 29/05/2016), Distributive budget of Rs 1,048.9 bn launched, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 29/05/2016), Govt in bid to please all, says Nepali Congress: Argues budget fails to focus on economic progress, by Binod Ghimire (kp 29/05/2016), Mixed reaction from private sector (kp 29/05/2016), Rs 5.9b for improving water supply in Valley (kp 29/05/2016), Infra to be made disabled-friendly (kp 29/05/2016), Special focus on schools (kp 29/05/2016), Income tax exemption limit hiked to Rs350k, by Prahlad Rijal (kp 29/05/2016), Income tax slab revised, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 29/05/2016), Govt allocates Rs35.86 for farm sector, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 29/05/2016), Budget 2016-17: Infrastructure development gets priority; Experts doubt govt’s ability to implement (kp 29/05/2016), Rs 1.2t school plan announced with little cash: Only Rs3b secured of Rs240b expected from donors, by Binod Ghimire (kp 30/05/2016), Health Ministry taken all by surprise: Establishing kidney centre in Bhaktapur, increasing insurance coverage were not discussed, by Manish Gautam (kp 30/05/2016), Bloated budget: Size of the annual budget is not an indicator of a successful government plan of action (kp 30/05/2016), Fiscal budget unsustainable, populist: NC; Party to expose govt intention behind bringing such a budget (ht 30/05/2016), Doubling grants to local bodies: FinMin defends move; Says the govt wants to make local bodies more powerful, resource-rich (kp 30/05/2016), Has Any Budget Been Implemented Totally?, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn 30/05/2016), FinMin clarifies budget not as expansionary as portrayed (ht 30/05/2016), Private sector skeptic about budget 2016-17 (31/05/2016), The New Budget: Colourful Responses, by Prem Khatry (rn 31/05/2016), Dahal concerned about budget fallout: But agrees to defend it in the Parliament (ht 31/05/2016), NCE-Nepal slams budget for education (ht 31/05/2016), Budget does little to uplift quality of education: Educationists (rep 31/05/2016)

Bracing for the budget: The budget, instead of directing investments in the right direction, might contain a lot of unproductive populist plans, by Yoga Nath Poudel (kp 27/05/2016), Budget for next fiscal year likely to boost grants (kp 27/05/2016), Budget set to break
Rs 909 billion ceiling: Many new initiatives regarding infrastructure projects, agriculture, drinking water and urbanisation have also
been planned, according to sources, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 28/05/2016), Govt tabling Rs 1.04 trillion budget today, by Rudra Pangeni and Balkrishna Gnawali (rep 28/05/2016)

Capital spending low as only 7pc civil servants perform duties well, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 26/05/2016)

Unspent budget: Political instability and interference both at the planning and operational levels hinder timely completion of projects, by Chandan Sapkota (kp 23/05/2016)

Foreign aid’s share in budget may cross 30 pc, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 23/05/2016)

Making it work: Timely presentation of the budget will hopefully lead to timely execution of development projects, by Dutta Shree Duwadi Khanal (kp 22/05/2016)

Budget to exceed 1,000 billion rupees, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht 22/05/2016)

‘Populist’ financial outlay on the cards, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 21/05/2016)

Maoist ministers alerted on party’s budget agenda (kp 17/05/2016)

Capital spending at 22 percent till mid-May: Govt spending on development work equal to  about 50% of what it spent on its employees' salary, by Rudra Pangeni (rep 17/05/2016) [!!]

Govt targeting 6.3 percent growth in 2016/17 (rep 16/05/2016) [Stop dreaming!]

‘Bring innovative and executable budget’ (ht 15/05/2016)

FNCCI seeks reforms in upcoming budget: Finance minister says government not deviated from principle of free market economy (ht 13/05/2016)

Treasury surplus at all-time high as govt fails to spend, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 12/05/2016)

Where the money goes: Political leaders’ main concern is about their constituencies, which leads to a disproportionate distribution of budget, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp 11/05/2016)

Budget likely to reach record Rs 1t, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 11/05/2016)

Budget 2016-17: Govt mulls setting up pay commission (kp 08/05/2016)

Treasury surplus at all-time high of Rs 180bn: Govt had spent only 39.53pc of total annual budget as of Tuesday (ht 05/05/2016), Govt sitting on Rs 100 billion, unable to spend: 21 national pride projects and 326 under priority one suffer, by Laxman Biyogi (rep 05/05/2016)

Roads to China border top budget priority (kp 04/05/2016)

Spend it: Without sensible SOPs, Nepal risks entrenching its low absorption capacity (kp 03/05/2016)

Budget for next fiscal: Stumbling blocks and options, by Dilli Raj Khanal (ht 02/05/2016)

Govt fails to buck spending trend, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 30/04/2016), Secys told to expedite spending: Govt treasury has Rs 170b unspent even as fiscal year draws to close (kp 30/04/2016)

Budget session from May 3 (kp 27/04/2016)

NPC proposes budget reduction: Says resources needed for reconstruction; Fixes ceiling at Rs 909bn, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 20/04/2016)

FinMin, MPs not serious about budget: Finance committee members (rep 20/04/2016)

‘Next budget to focus on investment-friendly climate’ (ht 13/04/2016)

Govt to start budget discussions today (kp 03/04/2016)

Govt has to spend Rs 1.66b daily to use up development budget, by Kuvera Chalise (rep 26/03/2016)

National Pride Projects: Only 8 percent of budget utilised (kp 08/03/2016)

Govt announces schedule for planned internal debt (kp 02/03/2016)

Govt needs to spend Rs 1.39 billion development expenditure every day, by Kuvera Chalise (rep 29/02/2016)

NPC caps next year’s public expenditure at Rs 908 billion: Budget ceiling likely to be revised, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 25/02/2016)

Mid-term review of budget: Govt says will miss economic targets (kp 19/02/2016)

Capital spending likely to take a big hit this fiscal year (ht 20/10/2016), Meagre development budget spent so far (ht 22/01/2016)

6pc of capital budget spent in first 5 months (kp 30/12/2015)

Spending Rs74 billion this fiscal ‘unlikely’, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 09/12/2015)

Country’s score in budget transparency plummets to 24 (ht 25/11/2015)

Govt expenditure dipped to 69.9pc in FY 2014-15 (kp 12/09/2015)

Govt faces challenge to endorse budget, by Binod Ghimire (kp 04/08/2015), UCPN-M, UML boycott debate on budget (ht 04/08/2015)

Govt backtracks on earlier decision, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 29/07/2015)

Art of spending: A complete change of mindset is required to make budgets work in Nepal, by Sujeev Shakya (kp 21/07/2015)

Govt has significantly reduced education and health budget, interview with Vidhyadhar Mallik (kp 20/07/2015)

Govt spent 82.78pc of budget last fiscal (ht 19/07/2015)

Many measures recommended by PDNA not included in budget, by Sanjeev Giri (kp 18/07/2015)

President endorses Vote on Account Bill (ht 17/07/2015)

Total expenditure expected to reach 85pc of allocation (kp 16/07/2015)

Rs 819b budget unveiled: With huge funds for reconstruction and infra development, finance minister targets 6pc growth, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 15/07/2015), Mahat presents Rs 819.47 bn budget: VAT threshold raised to Rs 5 million; Elderly allowance doubled; Rs 74 bn for reconstruction, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 15/07/2015), Madhes gets special development package (kp 15/07/2015), Round-the-year irrigation in Tarai in five years, by Sangam Prasain (kp 15/07/2015), Edu budget percentage lowest in 10 years, by Binod Ghimire (kp 15/07/2015), Focus on academic research, teachers’management, ICT (ht 15/07/2015), Host of dev activites announced for Valley (kp 15/07/2015), Valley envisioned as national capital of federal Nepal (ht 15/07/2015), ‘One Village, One Doctor’ to ensure basic health for all (ht 15/07/2015), Rs7 billion increased for social security (kp 15/07/2015), Reconstruction gets Rs91 billion, by Sanjeev Giri (kp 15/07/2015), Govt allocates Rs 91 billion for reconstruction drive (ht), Rs54 billion for infra development (kp 15/07/2015), Most demands addressed: Pvt sector, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 15/07/2015), Airport development, tourism re-branding high on agenda: No resources allocation for much-talked-about Second International Airport in Nijgadh (kp 15/07/2015), Budget unveils big plans for infrastructure, by Ramesh Shrestha (ht 15/07/2015), Consumer rights: ‘No concrete programme to
address market anomalies’ (kp 16/07/2015), Budget for education insufficient: Stakeholders; Say given the massive destruction caused in schools by earthquakes, allocated fund is too low (ht 16/07/2015)

Budgeting time: Government must speed up the formation of Reconstruction Authority (kp 15/07/2015)

UML, oppn decry NC monopoly in budget making, by Binod Ghimire (kp 15/07/2015)

Govt to declare Budget Implementation Year: The objective of Budget Implementation Year is to give the existing development projects a shot in the arm (kp 13/07/2015), At least 20 pc of budget sought for education (ht 13/07/2015), Budget to focus on quake recovery, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 14/07/2015), Budget ceiling lowered for physical infra ministry (kp 14/07/2015), Govt to unveil expansionary budget of Rs 820-825 bn (ht 14/07/2015)

Budget to be presented on Tuesday (kp 12/07/2015)

Road, transport budget to go up by over 50pc (ht 12/07/2015)

Budget may not be growth oriented, by Rameshore Khanal (kp 10/07/2015), Annual budget expected to address ballooning trade deficit, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 10/07/2015)

Target practice: Budgetary objectives and targets should be based on realistic assessment, not for the sake of populism (ht 08/07/2015)

Budget to target economic growth of 6pc (ht 07/07/2015)

Reconstruction budget: Allocation under separate head (kp 06/07/2015)

Govt repays more internal loans than allocated sum, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 05/07/2015)

Next budget to focus on rebuilding: FinMin, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 02/07/2015)

Govt to introduce new provision: Mulls action against officials who underutilise allocated budget (ht 02/07/2015)

Draft constitution sets Jestha 15 for annual budget (kp 30/06/2015)

Prez calls budget session of Parliament from Tuesday (kp 26/06/2015)

Government considering new ways to fund bailout (ht 24/06/2015), Productive sector to need Rs 78.29bn in fiscal 2015-16 (ht 24/06/2015), Infrastructure sector requires Rs 11bn for reconstruction next FY (ht 24/06/2015)

Nepal’s overall budget credibility ranking improves (ht 20/06/2015) [??]

NPC sets budget ceiling at Rs880b, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 10/06/2015), NPC fixes budget ceiling at Rs 841 bn, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht 11/06/2015), Taxpayers first: It's absurd to plan intentionally huge budget while there is severe deficiency in quality expenditure, by Bhim Prasad Bhurtel (rep 13/06/2015)

FinMin expects to scrape together another Rs10b (kp 09/06/2015)

Budget ceiling may cross ‘Rs800 billion’ (kp 06/06/2015)

Govt has spent Rs 41.51 billion in one-month period since quake (ht 27/05/2015)

Quake effects: Budget must now move away from cut-paste strategies and recalibrate the discourse on rebuilding Nepal, by Sujeev Shakya (kp 26/05/2015)

Ministry to allot 45pc budget for rehab (kp 13/05/2015)

Budget discussion begins: ‘Avoid less important programmes’ (kp 19/05/2015)

Budget presentation deferred by a month, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 14/05/2014)

NTB spending less than 10pc of allotted budget (kp 24/04/2015)

Energy Min spends 36pc of budget by Q3 (kp 20/04/2015)

Capital spending to bunch towards last few months (ht 17/04/2015)

ADB: Nepal’s capital expenditure too low (kp 25/03/2015)

‘Financial year should begin from mid-June’ (ht 24/03/2015)

4 key ministries show low capital spending: As of the first eight months of the fiscal year, they have been able to spend only Rs 20.51 billion out of their combined budget allocation of Rs 91.43 billion, by Rajesh Khanal (kp 20/03/2015)

FM tells officials to make early start on budget (kp 06/03/2015), FinMin plans budget by mid-May: Early submission expected to help expedite development project works (ht 06/03/2015)

NPC extends budget ceiling of Rs 483.64bn to various ministries (ht 05/03/2015)

Lack of accountability behind low capital spending (rep 27/02/2015)

Government aims to spend 85pc of capital budget (ht 24/02/2015)

Industry Ministry wants three-fold budget hike (kp 21/02/2015)

PM instructs ministries to spend money: Asks them to utilise allocated budget without fear of facing corruption charges from CIAA (ht 12/02/2015)

Budget ceiling fixed at Rs 735b (kp 10/02/2015), Budget ceiling of Rs 735.47 billion fixed for next fiscal (ht 10/02/2015)

Low spending: Govt sitting on Rs 95b: As of January 18, capital expenditure came to Rs 15 billion out of the budget of Rs 117 billion allocated for this fiscal year, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 21/01/2015)

A poor start all over again: Govt spending pattern in the first half of last 4 fiscal years  slow and unproductive, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 20/01/2015)

MoF, NPC to jointly monitor capital budget spending (kp 04/01/2015)

Ministry of Finance (MoF)

Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS)