Government spends only eight per cent capital expenditure in five months

Kathmandu, Dec 16: Development expenditure of the government is weak in the first five months of the current fiscal year 2025/26.     

The government spent only eight per cent capital expenditure till December 15. According to the statistics of the Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO), capital expenditure was Rs 33.87 billion till December 15.     

Total Rs 407 billion 880 million was allocated under capital expenditure heading for this current fiscal year.     

As per the statistics, out of Rs 1,180 billion 980 million allocated under current expenditure heading in this fiscal year, only 33.7 per cent (Rs 398 billion) was spent so far.     

Similarly, the government had allocated Rs 375 billion under the financial management heading, Rs 132 billion (35.32 per cent) was spent so far.     

According to the FCGO, of the total annual expenditure allocation of the government, 28.74 per cent was spent till December 15. Out of Rs 1 trillion and 964 billion budget allocated for the current fiscal year, Rs 564 billion was spent so far.     

Meanwhile, revenue collection was also weak. The government had set a target of collecting Rs 1 trillion and 533 billion in revenue in the current fiscal year, only Rs 414 billion (27 per cent) was collected in five months.     

It had set a target of collecting Rs 520.44 billion revenue in the first five months.     

Likewise, only Rs 80.27 billion in tax was collected against the government's target of collecting Rs 95.20 billion from November 17-December 15.     

So far, 28.83 percent of the annual target for tax revenue, amounting to RS 382 billion 230 million, and 15.59 percent of the target for non-tax revenue, amounting to RS 24.70 billion, has been collected.     

The government, which had set a target to receive foreign grant of Rs 53 billion 446 million 900 thousand this year, has so far received 9.58 percent, equivalent to Rs 5 billion 121 million.     

Looking at the revenue and expenditure of the government so far, the budget deficit has reached around 150 billion, meaning the government's expenditure exceeds its revenue by 149 billion 55 8 million and 500 thousand.(RSS)