Koshi: Principles and priorities of appropriation bill presented

BIRATNAGAR: The principles and priorities of the Koshi Province Appropriation Bill, 2024, were presented in the meeting of the Koshi Province Assembly on Sunday.

Presenting the principles and priorities of the next budget, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Koshi Province Government, Ram Bahadur Magar, said priority would be given to productive and result-oriented projects and programs in the upcoming budget. He added that projects and programs that can provide quick returns and those that are ready for implementation will be selected.

He maintained that the government was committed to maintaining austerity in recurrent expenditures and added that multi-year projects with assured resources will be provided with an adequate budget. “The government’s policies will be to keep expenses within the desired limit and maintain financial discipline while strengthening the monitoring system to ensure effective budget implementation,” he added.

Finance Minister Magar stated that the budget will focus on infrastructure development, tourism, forest and environment conservation, modernization and commercialization of agriculture, health services and social development, urban development and poverty alleviation, industrial development and private sector promotion, rule of law and disaster management, public financial management, and public service delivery and good governance.

Earlier, CPN-UML Chief Whip Revati Raman Bhandari said former Chief Minister Kedar Karki has not returned the keys of the Chief Minister’s Residence even though it has already been 18 days since the new Chief Minister assumed office.

Bhandari said needful action should be taken against former Attorney General Rupesh Koirala and Chief Minister’s Secretariat staff Bishnu Khanal for their actions that have insulted the supremacy of the provincial assembly.

Provincial Assembly members Kishor Chandra Dulal, Geeta Devi Regmi, Gopal Bishwakarma, Tilchan Pathak, Ramdev Yadav, and Rohit Karki also spoke during the session.

Meanwhile, provincial assembly members of the Nepali Congress boycotted the session.