July 9: The provinces have spent only half of their budget till June 15 of the current Fiscal Year 2022/23. Of the total budget of Rs 306 billion that the provinces passed for the current fiscal year, they have spent only Rs 151.3 billion as of June 15, which accounts for 49.45 percent of the total annual allocations.

As per the data on budget expenditure by provinces shared by the Office of the Comptroller General, Koshi Province's expenditure is the highest (61.41 percent) and the Madhes Province's is the lowest (36.25 percent) in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year.

During the review period, Bagmati Province's budget expenditure stood at 50.62 percent, Gandaki Province's at 48.19 percent, Lumbini Province's at 55.54 percent, Karnali Province's at 45.60 percent and Sudurpaschim Province's at 48.54 percent. The average expenditure towards the recurrent expenditure was 55.68 percent and 46.11 percent towards capital expenditure during this period.

Koshi Province

Koshi Province had brought a total budget of Rs 39.91 billion for the current fiscal year and its expenditure till June 15 was Rs 24.51 billion. This province spent Rs 11.65 (70 percent) out of the total allocation of Rs 16.62 billion towards current expenditure and Rs 12.86 billion ( 55 percent) out of the total allocations of Rs 23.29 billion towards capital expenditure.

Madhesh Province

The budget expenditure of Madhesh Province was the lowest as compared to the rest of the provinces. The province had brought a budget of Rs 46.98 billion for the current fiscal year and it spent only Rs 17 billion until June 15. The budget expenditure was 36.25 percent of the total annual budget allocations.

Madhesh Province spent 33 percent for recurrent expenses and 38.34 percent under the heading of capital expenditure in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year. Out of the Rs 20.8 billion set aside for recurrent expenditure, the province spent Rs 6 billion 996 million 700 thousand. Similarly, out of the Rs 26.18 billion allocated for capital expenditure, the province spent Rs 10 billion or 38 percent of the allocation.

Bagmati Province

Bagmati Province had brought a budget of Rs 70 billion 939 million 200 thousand for the current fiscal year and it spent Rs 35.91 billion  or 50.62 percent of the total budget till June 15. The budget expenditure of this province under the current expenditure heading was 61.61 percent while it was 46 percent under capital expenditure heading and 30 percent under fiscal management heading during this period.

The province had allocated Rs 26.84 billion for current expenditure and it spent Rs 16.53 billion. Similarly, out of the Rs 42 billion 90 million allocated for capital expenditure, it spent Rs 19.37 billion. Rs 2 billion was allocated for fiscal management and the expenditure under this heading was Rs 600 million.

Gandaki Province

Out of over Rs 35.9 billion set aside for the province in the current FY,  Rs 17.3 billion has been spent as of June 15 which  is 48 percent of the allocated budget. Under current expenditures, Rs 6.9 billion (54 percent) of over Rs 12.8 billion set aside has been spent, and under capital expenditures, Rs 10.3 billion (45.82 percent) of more than Rs 22.5 billion allocated.

Lumbini Province

The province spent Rs 23.7 billion of the total Rs 42.7 billion allocated for the province. The figure was 55.54 percent.  Under current expenditures, it spent Rs 10.9 billion (61.20 percent) of Rs 17.9 billion allocated, and under capital expenditure, it spent Rs 12.7 billion (51.45 percent) of Rs 24.7 billion allocated.

Karnali Province

Out of Rs 32.7 billion allocated for the province, Rs 14.9 billion (45.60 percent) has been spent. Under current expenditures, Rs 7.1 billion (53.64 percent) of Rs 13.8 billion set aside has been spent, and under capital expenditures, Rs 7.9 billion (40.25 percent) of Rs 19.6 billion spent.

Sudurpaschim Province

Out of Rs 36.7 billion allocated for the province, Rs 17.8 billion (48.54 percent) has been spent. Under current expenditures, Rs 6.7 billion (55.32 percent) of Rs 12.2 billion allocated has been spent, and under capital expenditures, Rs 11.7 billion (45.71 percent) of Rs 24.2 billion set aside has been spent. -- RSS