Himal Press 
Mayor Harka Sampang (center) and other officials of the Dharan Sub-metropolitan City (File Photo)
ITAHARI: The budget for the fiscal year 2024/25 of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City has become uncertain due to the long-running conflict between Mayor Harka Sampang and municipal assembly members.
The sub-metropolis failed to introduce policies and programs, and the budget for fiscal year 2024/25 on time because of the ongoing dispute between Mayor Sampang, Deputy Mayor Aindra Bikram Begha, and the ward chairpersons.
Local units must bring the budget for the next fiscal year by June 24. The new fiscal year begins in mid-July.
Although the municipal assembly meeting was scheduled for 3 pm on Monday, it did not convene even though the mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairpersons and municipal assembly members had arrived at the venue.
According to Deputy Mayor Begha, the budget couldn’t be presented because the municipal assembly was called without completing all the required budgetary procedures. He stated that Mayor Sampang should take responsibility for the delay in presenting the annual budget of the sub-metropolis.
Mayor Sampang, on the other hand, said the process was affected after municipal assembly members boycotted the municipal assembly meeting. “I arrived on time and asked the municipal assembly members to convene the meeting. But they all boycotted, saying that it was not possible to hold the meeting now,” Mayor Sampang said. “I also hold the deputy mayor responsible for this.”
Meanwhile, Manoj Bhattarai, the chairperson of Ward-17 and spokesperson for Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, claimed that the situation arose because the mayor tried to act forcefully, going against the decision of the municipal executive meeting. “Since the mayor was intent on breaking the budget ceiling and violating the rules, we asked him to postpone the meeting and left the venue,” Bhattarai added.
Bhattarai said the budget should have been brought to the municipal assembly through different committees and the municipal executive.
Mayor Sampang had proposed to present the policies and programs on Monday and bring the budget on July 9. However, other municipal assembly members opposed his proposal.
