Budget planning for next fiscal begins

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 6: The government has started the preparation of the budget for the coming fiscal year 2023/24.

The National Planning Commission (NPC) has issued a notice on Monday, requesting calls for proposals for federal supplementary grants and 

federal special grants to the provinces and local levels for the coming year.

The NPC is the apex advisory body of the government for formulating a national vision, periodic plans and policies for development.

After the members of House of the Representatives (HoR) and provincial level elections, the Commission started preparing the budget.

The NPC has requested proposals for projects and programmes to be conducted at the provincial and local levels under the federal supplementary and special grants for the coming financial year 2023/24.

Details of such projects and programmes should be sent to the Commission by mid-January 2023 by the provincial and local level governments.

It is mentioned in the notice that proposals should be submitted from the office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers in the case of the province and from the concerned metropolitan, sub-metropolitan, municipality and rural municipality councils in the case of the local level.

Similarly, the Commission has also said that only the proposals from the electronic system (online) will be accepted.

There is a provision to provide federal supplementary grants and federal special grants under the 

Supplementary Grants (Third Amendment) Procedures 2077 and Special Grants (Third Amendment) Procedures 2077.

According to this, the federal government has been allocating the budget to the province and local levels under the title of supplementary and special grants every year.

There is also a provision in the procedure to request a budget for such plans and programmes only after getting approval from the executive of the concerned municipality.

For plans and programmes receiving supplementary grants, 50 per cent of the total cost will be borne by the respective local level or province, while 50 per cent will be provided by the federal government.

According to the Commission, the log-in details for the provincial government and local level to enter the project and programme proposals in the online system have already been provided by the Commission.

In order to get such a subsidy, the proposed schemes and programmes must fulfill certain procedures.

The Commission also said that specifics such as detailed project report (DPR), environmental impact assessment (EIA), cost estimate and project completion period must be submitted along with the proposal. 

As per the constitution, the fiscal budget should be presented at both the houses of the parliament on Jestha 15 every year.