Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has initiated discussions with different ministries to estimate resources and fix the budget ceiling for the fiscal year 2024/25.
Yamlal Bhusal, the spokesperson for the NPC, stated that the apex policymaking body of the government held discussions with ministries before finalizing the resource estimate and budget ceiling for the next fiscal year. “We are holding discussions with officials of the ministries on how much budget is required for the implementation of which plans and programs,” Bhusal said.
In the past years, the Resource Estimation Committee of the NPC, which is chaired by the NPC Vice Chairman, used to set the budget limit without holding any discussions with the relevant ministries. It simply requested proposals from them for annual plans and programs within that prescribed ceiling. Due to complaints about insufficient fund allocations and more budgets being allocated to projects of less priority, the committee has begun discussions with relevant ministries before setting the budget ceiling for them.
Bhusal said that they would hold discussions with ministries on their priorities, plans, programs, and their budget demands. “The budget ceiling will be set accordingly,” Bhusal said.
Resource estimation and budget ceiling for the next fiscal year are set based on expenditures made until the first half of the fiscal year i.e. mid-January.
The NPC held discussions with the Ministry for Labor, Employment, and Social Security, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation on Wednesday. Likewise, it also held discussions with other government offices like the Office of the President, Office of the Vice President, and the Supreme Court.
