Head of the house Ganesh Tamrakar prepares the budget after discussion with all members and announces it on the first of the month of Shrawan, the first day of the new fiscal year. He announces the budget only after consensus from all family members.
"We have already begun discussion on new fiscal year´s budget. After heading-wise discussion, we will prepare an initial draft and announce it after consensus from all family members," says Tamrakar while talking to an inquisitive group of journalists.
The family of six members estimates all possible sources of income and expenditures in the budget. Even the chance of the son getting an award in the school is included under the head of possible sources of income. They estimate the expenditures as well in detail, including possible donations and offerings in religious, social and cultural events.
Education, health, transportation, foodstuffs, festivals, donations and offerings, telephone recharge, insurance, detergents and miscellaneous are some of the expenditure headings while salary, training and workshops, loan and miscellaneous are the income headings.
If some member is away from the family, then the family consults with him/her over the telephone, Tamrakar says. And, in case of lack of consensus, the family goes for a majority decision, he says, adding, "Every member has equal role in the family."
On preparation of the budget for the new fiscal year, which is almost ready for endorsement, Ganesh´s wife Draupadi says the family has proposed a budget of Rs 228,000 for the year. "As sons are still pursuing studies, costs under the education head are the biggest. The deficit budget is covered from loans," she adds.
The family also maintains the daily record of income and expenditure of even a single penny in the evening. All members hand over all income to the head of the family.
The normally educated family has been practicing the exemplary deed for the last four years. Ganesh said he began to implement the budget planning at home to make the family more systematic. He said he learnt to make planning while working in social organizations.
Ganesh plans to keep the budgetary records in the computer, which he purchased recently. "After implementing the planning, my family has become more organized and our standard has also been raised," Ganesh adds.
The head of this model family, Ganesh (43) has an ICom degree and is currently working as account officer at National Haliya Liberation Federation. His 41-year-old wife appeared in SLC only this year.
Besides the annual budget planning, the family performs all daily events as per planning. We can just imagine how much it could benefit our ailing national economy if every family moved ahead with solid planning and clear objectives before them.
Even the government and political parties could learn mush from the family to pursue the path of consensus and go for a democratic majority system in case of any dispute.
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