Budget gives Rs 730m for tourism infrastructure

Nine tourism bodies did not receive capital expenditure

KATHMANDU, June 3: With a motive of bringing two million tourists by 2020 and five million by 2030 into the country, the Ministry of Finance has allocated Rs 5.20 billion on tourism in the Fiscal Year 2018/19.

The largest portion of the government's capital expenditure on tourism -- Rs 730 million -- has been allocated for Tourism Infrastructure Development Project. The government has also allocated recurrent expenditure of Rs 153 million for tourism infrastructure development.

The second largest amount of capital expenditure on tourism -- Rs 286 million -- has been allocated for Archaeological Conservation. Accordinhe ministry, Rs 2.8 million has been allocated toward recurrent expenditure for this project. Likewise, Rs 99 million, Rs 23 million, and Rs 15.9 million have been allocated for Department of Archaeology, National Archives of Nepal,orld Heritage Sites Conservation Project respectively for capital expenditure while, Rs 45.7 million, Rs 19.4 million and Rs 1.1 million for recurrent expenditure have been allocated for the projects respectively.

Meanwhile, Rs 15.9 million for capital expenditure and Rs 1.1 million for recurrent expenditure have been allocated for World Heritage Sites Conservation Project.

Likewise, the government has allocated Rs 13.2 million and Rs 10 million on capital expenditures for National Museum (Chhauni) and Narayanhiti Palace Museum. Both of the museums have received Rs 25.9 million and Rs 86.9 million on recurrent expenditure, respectively. Similarly, South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development project has received a total of Rs 8.6 million for capital expenditure and Rs 351 million for recurrent expenditure.

Moreover, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has received a total of Rs 6.4 million of capital expenditure while Rs 248 million of recurrent expenditure has been allocated for the ministry. Likewise, capital expenditure of Rs 3.2 million for Central Conservation Lab for Cultural Heritage, Rs 1.5 million for Language Commission and Rs 0.7 million for Mountaineering Tourism and Tourism Promotional Program have been allocated by the government. Recurrent expenditures of Rs 11.6 million, Rs 66 million, and Rs 7 million have been allocated respectively for these organizations.

At the same time, capital expenditures of Rs 0.5 million and Rs 0.3 million have been allocated for Cultural Promotional Program and Nepal Copyright Registrar's Office while Rs 346 million and Rs 10 million have been allocated respectively for recurrent expenditure. On the other hand, nine organizations have not received any amount for capital expenditure. Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management Academy (NATHM), Pashupati Area Development Trust, Lumbini Development Trust, and Cultural Institutions have received Rs 23.6 million, Rs 348 million, Rs 577 million and Rs 8.1 million of recurrent expenditure.

Likewise, Nepal Academy, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Nepal Music and Drama Academy, Transport Project Preparatory Facility, and Buddhist Philosophy Promotion & Monastery Development Committee have received Rs 120 million, Rs 40 million, Rs 60 million, Rs 50 million and Rs 53.4 million of recurrent expenditure for FY2018/19. However, none of the nine organizations have received capital expenditure for FY2018/19.

Of the total Rs 5.20 billion allocated for the country's tourism sector, the government has allocated Rs 4.05 billion for federal government, Rs 812 million for provincial governments and Rs 333 million for local level governments.