KATHMANDU, May 30: The government has allocated a budget of Rs 66.17 billion for projects under the Ministry of Urban Development in the coming Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24.
This is almost double the budget allocated to the ministry in the FY 2022/23. The government had allocated Rs 28 billion to the ministry in the FY 2022/23
While presenting the budget for the new FY 2023/24 at the joint session of federal parliament on Monday, Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said that Rs 2.19 billion has been allocated for the infrastructure development of new city projects such as Basantpur, Khurkot, Chaurjahari and Baitadi-Patan.
The government has allocated Rs 8.4 billion to complete the urban infrastructure projects under construction as a part of its intensive urban development program in the coming FY.
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Similarly, a budget of Rs 1.13 billion has been allocated to build integrated urban infrastructure in the main tourist cities of Pokhara, Janakpur and municipalities located in Lumbini Corridor.
It is mentioned in the budget statement that Rs 1.26 billion have been allocated to build houses for the underprivileged, Dalit, endangered, marginalized tribes and communities under the Janata Awas (People’s Shelter) scheme.
Under the Safe Citizen Shelter Program, Rs 790 million budget has been allocated to replace thatched, straw and thatched roofs of ten thousand residential buildings with zinc sheets or other permanent materials.
The construction work of the federal parliament building will be completed by the government in the next fiscal year. Rs 1.22 billion have been allocated to complete the remaining works including the internal infrastructure of the building. The government has announced that in coordination with the local level, unauthorized settlements on the banks of Bagmati and Bishnumati rivers will be removed by alternative management of squatters.
The government has announced plans to complete the restoration work of ten archaeological sites including Singha Durbar (Western Part), Babar Mahal, Keshar Mahal in the coming year for post-earthquake reconstruction.
The government has put forward a plan to connect the centers of the local level, which are not connected by paved roads, to the center of the respective province or the nearest national highway with paved roads within the next three years.
Rs 2.15 billion have been allocated for this program which will be implemented in the cost sharing of federal, provincial and local levels.
Construction of suspension bridges will be promoted based on ease of movement and feasibility in remote areas. 600 more suspension bridges will be constructed in the next financial year. Rs 5.83 billion have been allocated for the suspension bridge in the coming year.
