KATHMANDU: Following months of tension and failed attempts, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balen Shah on Friday finally convened a crucial meeting of the Resource Estimation and Budget Ceiling Committee, including Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain, paving the way for the long-delayed city budget.
The meeting was held at the Mayor’s office and included Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol, several ward chairs, and executive committee members. It marks the first time since December 24, 2024 that Mayor Shah and CAO Guragain shared a formal platform, signaling a breakthrough after their prolonged institutional deadlock.
Earlier, Mayor Shah had attempted to bypass Guragain and hold the budget meeting unilaterally, but Deputy Mayor Dangol and other elected representatives refused to attend without the legally mandated member-secretary present. Under Nepal’s Local Government Operation Act 2017, the presence of the chief administrative officer is compulsory in such committee meetings.
Due to the impasse, KMC failed to present its budget by the June 24 deadline, as required by law. Development works, policy decisions, and council sessions were also stalled. The executive committee, municipal assembly, and even this key budget committee had not met for over six to seven months.
Sources say Mayor Shah initially called a meeting on June 18, attempting to proceed without Guragain. However, the move was deemed legally invalid and created further resistance from elected representatives. With legal obligations closing in and the fiscal year ending soon, Mayor Shah eventually agreed to include Guragain in Friday’s meeting, setting aside personal and political differences.
The committee comprises Deputy Mayor Dangol and executive members Navin Manandhar, Navaraj Parajuli, Maiyalakshmi Maharjan, and Anita Karki Doli—who were all present during the session.
As the budget must be passed before the end of Ashar, the latest meeting has cleared the way for its imminent release. With the mayor, deputy mayor, CAO, and ward chairs now back in coordination, city officials believe the long-awaited budget will soon be presented and passed, ending the uncertainty surrounding Kathmandu’s development agenda.
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