Gandaki State government unveils budget of Rs 32.13 billion; priority to construction of ring road in Pokhara and Pokhara-Bhimad and Dumkibas fast-track

Gandaki state government has unveiled a budget of Rs 32.13 billion for the coming fiscal year 2019/20.

In Gandaki state assembly meeting on Sunday, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Kiran Gurung, said that Rs 12.28 billion has been allocated towards recurrent expenditure while capital expenditure is Rs 19.84 billion.

The Gandaki government has allocated Rs 8.18 billion for development of physical infrastructures including road and bridge. The budget has given priority to construction of ring road in Pokhara and Pokhara-Bhimad and Dumkibas fast-track.

The Gandaki state government has allocated Rs 2.20 billion budget in drinking water sector for the fiscal year 2019/20, saying arrangement has been made to forward 'One House, One Tap' programme. A total of Rs 110 billion has been allocated in order to start construction of Shaligram Saskritik Corridor in two section (Devghat to Chapakot) and (Ramdi to Rudrabeni).

The budget has also allocated Rs 2.09 billion towards irrigation sector. Similarly, Rs 60 million has been allocated to install solar energy panel at 1,500 households of Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, Gorkha and Lamjung districts, which have no access to modern energy system so far, and four ministries of state government to make the 'Gandaki State, Bright State' campaign a success.

Similarly, Rs 1.70 billion has been allocated to start construction of chief administrative centre, state assembly building, state training academy from this year.

On the occasion, Minister Gurung said that arrangement of necessary budget has been made to carry out study for the construction of modern metro bus terminal and state bus park collaborating with Pokhara metropolitan city to make transport service systematic in the city.

Out of 110 tourism destinations announced as the state tourism areas, Rs 176 million has been allocated for infrastructure development at 44 destinations by selecting four from each district of Gandaki state.

Likewise, budget has been allocated to prepare detailed project report for the construction of state information technology park at Pokhara metropolitan city-18 as well as more than Rs 100 million has been allocated for the establishment and operation of Gandaki University at Shuklagandaki municipality.

Arrangement of of Rs 720 billion has been made to run constituency area development programme as well as Rs 150 million has been allocated for the establishment of state development authority to attract domestic and foreign investment in big projects of Gandaki state and carry out monitoring for its effective implementation.