6.5 percent development budget expenditure in five months, 4 percent less than Pohor

Kathmandu: In the first five months of the current fiscal year, capital expenditure, i.e. development budget expenditure, has been very disappointing. According to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which keeps track of government revenue and expenditure, a total of 6.46 percent of the development budget has been spent from July to November.

Out of the development budget allocation of Rs. 439.65 billion this year, a total of Rs. 27.96 billion has been spent till November. This is only 6.46 percent. This is a decrease of about four percent compared to last year. In the first five months of last year, 10.13 percent of the development budget was spent. Although Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has announced a plan to spend about 10 percent every month on development, the spending situation is very low.

Similarly, Rs. 313 billion or 31.61 percent of current expenditure has been incurred in the last five months. 41.30 billion or 21.8 percent has been spent on financial management.

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General has stated that out of the total revenue collection target of Rs. 1180.60 billion. Foreign grants have been zero in five months. As the government expects foreign grant of Rs. 59.91 billion through the budget, it is seen that no foreign grant has been received so far.