Surkhet. The Karnali Province government has frozen the budget of more than Rs 12.5 billion for the current fiscal year as it failed to spend it on time. According to the data of the Karnali Province Financial Comptroller Office, out of the total budget of Rs 33.19 billion, only Rs 20.57 billion has been spent. 

Thus, only 61.97 percent of the total budget has been spent. The remaining Rs 12.62 billion has been frozen.  According to the Karnali Province Treasury and Account Control Office, the Karnali Province government has spent Rs 9.25 billion out of Rs 12.59 billion in recurrent expenditure.

This is 73.48 percent of the current budget. Out of Rs 19.98 billion for capital expenditure, the Karnali government has spent Rs 11.13 billion for capital expenditure. This is 55.74 percent of capital expenditure. 

Poor Ministries

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, which has the highest budget, has shown the least progress. Out of the budget of Rs 11.11 billion, only Rs 5.41 billion 81 million 15 thousand 417 has been spent, while the overall expenditure progress of the ministry has been limited to 49.20 percent. Out of Rs 15.28 billion, only 60 percent has been spent.

Similarly, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment has spent Rs 1.56 billion out of a budget of Rs 2.42 billion. According to the Treasury and Account Control Office, the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development has spent Rs 2.91 billion out of the allocated budget of Rs 3.83 billion. 

Similarly, the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives has spent Rs 1.46 billion 78,75,259.The ministry had a budget of Rs 2.57 billion. Out of the allocated budget of Rs 5.97 billion, the Ministry of Social Development has spent Rs 4.32 billion. 

In the current fiscal year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law has spent Rs 66,44, 14,242 in the current fiscal year. 

The ministry had a total budget of Rs 709,01,442. Similarly, the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers has spent Rs 33,67,80,884. It had a total budget of Rs 60,96,19,558.