Himal Press 
POKHARA: Pokhara Metropolitan City has brought a budget of Rs 7.51 billion for the upcoming fiscal year 2024/25. The allocation is Rs 430 million more than the current fiscal year’s budget of Rs 7.08 billion.
Deputy Mayor Manjudevi Gurung presented the budget during the 15th Municipal Assembly in Pokhara on Monday.
The metropolis expects to receive Rs 4.20 billion from the federal government and Rs 96.38 million from the provincial government. It aims to raise Rs 1.55 billion from internal revenue. Likewise, the metropolis expects to receive Rs 383.38 million, Rs 97.2 million and Rs 1.12 billion, respectively, from federal, provincial and local revenue sharing, and Rs 5.42 million from royalty sharing. Moreover, the budget outlines a plan to borrow Rs 44.88 million from the Town Development Fund.
The budget aims to strengthen various sectors such as tourism, agriculture, industry and trade. It emphasizes the development of green, sustainable, and disaster-resilient infrastructure, enhancing value chains and improving market systems. The budget also underscores the importance of promoting a low-carbon society and achieving carbon neutrality. Additionally, it aims to simplify and integrate technology into service delivery, build an environmentally conscious and responsible community and encourage entrepreneurship and self-employment. Developing skilled human resources, ensuring good financial governance, and economically empowering women as well as disadvantaged and marginalized communities are the other priorities of the fiscal budget.
Special allocations in the budget include Rs 40.5 million for the agricultural sector, and Rs 1.65 billion for programs related to education, sports and youth. Likewise, programs related to the health sector will receive Rs 350 million, while social development, and tourism and urban development have been earmarked Rs 60 million and Rs 560 million, respectively.
Infrastructure improvements include Rs 1.65 billion for the development of key roads such as Talchowk-Begnas, Shisuwa-Sisaghat and Birauta-Dobilla-Bagmara-Kotre in collaboration with the World Bank.
The metropolis has managed to spend Rs 4.12 billion of the budget for the current fiscal year as of mid-June. It expects to 75% of the budget by the fiscal year-end (mid-July).
