Jun 20, Kathmandu - Pokhara Metropolitan City has unveiled a budget of NPR 7.15 billion for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 during the city council meeting.

Deputy Mayor Manju Devi Gurung announced that the budget emphasizes tourism, infrastructure development, and service delivery as key priorities. 

According to the budget proposal, the federal government is expected to provide NPR 3.186 billion through grants categorized as conditional, special, equalization, and supplementary. The provincial government of Gandaki is also projected to contribute NPR 91.536 million through similar grants.

The metropolitan city aims to generate revenue from various sources, including NPR 3.4347 billion from federal revenue sharing, NPR 41.58 million from provincial revenue sharing, NPR 1.3114 billion from local government revenue sharing, and internal sources totaling NPR 2.5873 billion. Overall, the city's internal revenue is estimated to reach NPR 3.874164 billion.

Of the total budget, 55.1% is allocated for current expenditures, while 44.9% is designated for capital projects.

A substantial portion of the budget, NPR 72.4 million, is allocated for all 33 wards of Pokhara. The development budget includes NPR 1.319 billion for economic development programs, NPR 2.8955 billion for infrastructure, urban development, and urban upliftment projects, NPR 2.997 billion for health, education, and social development, and NPR 110 million for administrative and operational expenses.

The city plans to develop Pokhara into an international tourism destination, construct modern waste management facilities, upgrade roads, bridges, drainage, and water supply infrastructure, attract private sector investment through public-private partnerships, and implement revenue improvement schemes.

The metropolitan city's financial bill and allocation bill for the fiscal year 2083 have also been presented in the council.

This budget marks a decrease of NPR 1.1987 billion compared to the current fiscal year's budget of NPR 8.3512 billion for 2082/83.