KATHMANDU: Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Prof. Dr. Shivraj Adhikari, has urged the government to allocate the budget primarily to projects that can be implemented immediately.
Speaking at an interaction on the formulation of annual development programs, the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), and the NPC’s project bank on Wednesday, Dr. Adhikari emphasized that projects should be categorized based on their feasibility and readiness for implementation.
He clarified that only enforceable projects with a minimum value of Rs 30 million would be considered, and such projects would not be included in the list of national pride projects.
Dr. Adhikari further stated that budget allocations should align with the government’s broader policies and programs. He warned that any projects not listed in the project bank or lacking a detailed project report (DPR) would be subject to scrutiny, and those without a DPR would be deferred for further study.
Joint Secretary Khomraj Koirala, presenting on the MTEF, revealed that only 40 out of 44 government agencies had submitted data, and capital expenditure stood at just 32 percent.
Another Joint Secretary reported that 7,337 projects had been entered into the national project bank, though some were still in the drafting stage.
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