Hetauda endorses new fiscal year’s budget

By Rammani Dahal,Makawanpur, July 13:  The municipal assembly of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City has endorsed its budget for the fiscal year 2025/26.

The budget worth Rs. 2.90 billion and three thousand was approved during the assembly session held on Friday.

During the 17th municipal assembly convened on June 24, Deputy Mayor Rajesh Baniya had presented an increased budget in comparison to the current fiscal year.

The current fiscal year’s budget of the Sub-Metropolitan City amounts to Rs. 2.43 billion and 80 million.

Spokesperson of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, Sabin Neupane, informed that the assembly passed the Financial Bill and the Appropriation Bill. In terms of sources to bear the expenses of the upcoming fiscal year, it is estimated that Rs. 627.68 million will be collected from internal revenue, Rs. 927.05 million from revenue sharing, and the remaining amount will be received as grants from federal and provincial governments.

The budget also includes provisions to manage Rs. 36 million through a loan from the Town Development Fund. For the upcoming fiscal year, Rs. 596.59 million has been allocated for operational and administrative expenses, and Rs. 38.9 million for good governance and institutional development.

Spokesperson Neupane said that with the budget endorsed, Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City will be able to begin expenditures from Shrawan 1 (July 17). 

For the upcoming fiscal year, budget has been allocated for the development of Auto Village Infrastructure in Hetauda-11, Water Fun Park in Hetauda-14, and Ganga Aarti Site in Hetauda-10.

Likewise, the Sub-Metropolitan City will implement a project bank to systematise plans within the municipal area. The project bank will be implemented from this fiscal year.

Mayor Meena Kumari Lama said that a management information system for the project bank would be developed to streamline the planning process.

In the upcoming fiscal year, a well-equipped fun park will be constructed in Hetauda-14 under the public-private partnership model, the farmer listing process will be completed, and farmer categorisation and identity card distribution will be carried out.

Youth-targeted agricultural programmes will be operated, use of organic fertilisers will be encouraged, and the ‘One Ward, One Agricultural Product’ programme will continue with avocado farming in Ward No. 13 and millet farming in Ward No. 1.