The New Fiscal Year 2081/82 Begins, Budget Implementation in Progress

The new fiscal year 2081/82 begins today, with the government also implementing the new budget. On the 15th of Jestha, the government allocated a budget of NPR 1860.30 billion for the current fiscal year.

Budget Allocation

The budget has been distributed across various sectors as follows:

• Current Expenditure: NPR 1140.66 billion (61.31%)

• Capital Expenditure: NPR 352 billion

• Financial Management: NPR 367 billion

Last Year's Budget

In the previous fiscal year, Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat of the Congress party had announced a budget of NPR 1751.31 billion. However, by the end of the fiscal year, the revised expenditure estimate was NPR 1530 billion. Only 80% of the budget was spent during the fiscal year 2080/81.

According to the Office of the Comptroller General, only 80.45% of the allocated budget, i.e., NPR 1408.98 billion, was spent. This was almost NPR 20 billion less than the previous fiscal year.

Priorities for the Current Year

This year's budget prioritizes economic recovery and revival, productivity enhancement, and employment promotion. The government has announced a "Decade of Digitalization and Investment in Agriculture." Furthermore, the budget includes programs to expand the scope of the contribution-based social security program, encompassing temporary, contract, wage-based employees in government and organized sectors, and informal sector workers.

Newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has committed to implementing the budget introduced by the previous government.