Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Chairman of Rastriya Jana Morcha (RJM), Chitra Bahadur KC, has raised concerns about the disproportionate allocation of budget to the home districts of a few influential leaders.
Participating in the deliberations on the fiscal budget for 2023/24 in the House of Representatives on Thursday, KC criticized the distribution of funds favoring specific individuals. He specifically highlighted Gorkha, the Prime Minister’s home district, Dadeldhura, the former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s home district, and Nuwakot, the Finance Minister’s home district, and called for a reduction in the budget allocated to these districts.
“It is unfortunate that I have to visit ministers to secure budget for my constituency and district. The existing structure of budget allocation is not conducive to promoting gender equality and the well-being of senior citizens. Such an imbalanced approach to development will not lead to overall progress,” he added.
Independent lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh also voiced concerns about disproportionate budget allocation. “The country cannot make significant strides in development by allocating only 12 percent of the budget for capital expenditure,” Singh said, adding that the government should take into account the needs of marginalized communities, specifically Dalits, Chamar, and Musahar, while preparing the budget.
On Thursday, lawmakers deliberated on budgetary matters concerning the Ministry of Forest and Environment, and the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens. The scheduled discussion on the budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Youth and Sports was removed from the agenda due to the absence of the relevant minister.
