69 local governments yet to introduce annual budget for current fiscal year

KATHMANDU: Sixty nine local governments are yet to announce their budgets for the current fiscal year despite the constitutional provisions that mandates all local governments to introduce the budget by June 24 every year.

According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, only 684 out of the 753 local governments have announced their budgets as of now. The remaining 69 local governments have not published their financial plan for 2022/23 even after over a month of the beginning of the current fiscal year.

Out of the local bodies breaching the state laws, 56 percent are from Madhesh Province. There are 136 local governments in this province and only 97 have announced their financial plans so far.

Likewise, 10 local bodies of Lumbini Province, six local bodies of Province 1, five of Sudurpashchim Province, four each of Bagmati Province and Karnali Province and one of Gandaki Province have failed to come up with their budgets.