Madhes province government’s development expenditure dismal

The status of the development expenditure of Madhes Province Government is distressing even past six months of the commencement of the current Fiscal Year 2022/23.

The Province Treasury and Comptroller’s Office said the provincial government has made an expenditure of only around eight per cent in current and development expenditure heads in the six months of the current fiscal year.

Office chief Radheshyam Giri shared that the current and development expenditure of the Madhes Province Government is Rs 3 billion 669 million 565 thousand 670 in the six months’ period of the current FY. It will have to spend Rs 43 billion 211 million 138 thousand 329 in the remaining six months.

The province government had allocated a budget of Rs 46 billion 880 million 946 thousand, including Rs 21 billion 766 million795 thousand towards recurrent and Rs 25 billion 822million 80 thousand towards capital expenditure for the current FY. Rs 166 million 456 thousand 200 was earmarked towards fiscal management.

According to Office chief Giri, out of the amount spent so far, most of the budget has been spent towards the current expenditures, which includes employees’ salary and office management expenses.

The province government has claimed that the dismal status of development expenditure so far is due to various reasons, especially the elections.

Considering the Ministry-wise expenditure in the past six months of the current fiscal year, the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers spent Rs 60 million314 thousand 263, the Ministry of Finance Rs 33 million 731 thousand 33, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment Rs 383 million 642 thousand 559 and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Province Assembly Affairs Rs 10 million 423 thousand 199.