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The government has managed to spend around 20 percent of the budget allocated for 2023/24 in the first four months of the fiscal year.

According to the Financial Comptroller General’s Office (FCGO), the government has spent Rs 355.63bn out of Rs 1,751.31bn allocated in the current fiscal year.

The government has so far expended 23.75 percent of its recurrent budget, 9.93 percent of the capital budget, and 17.72 percent of its budget allocated for financial management.

Out of the total budget, Rs 1,141.78bn has been set aside for recurrent expenditure, Rs 302.07bn for capital expenditure, and Rs 307.45bn for financial management in the current fiscal year.

According to the FCGO, the government has spent Rs 271.17bn of its recurrent budget. Likewise, Rs 29.98bn of the capital budget has been spent so far, while it has spent Rs 54.46bn of the budget allocated for financial management.

The government uses funds allocated for financial management to service its domestic and foreign debt.

In the current fiscal year, the government has allocated more budget for financial management compared to the capital budget.

Looking at the government spending over the first four months, spending toward financial management is more than double of what the government has managed to spend toward capital spending. This means the government's spending toward servicing foreign and domestic debt is higher than what it is spending on development works.

The government's capital spending gains momentum in the fourth quarter as implementing agencies often initiate projects at the eleventh hour to avoid budget freeze. Spending taxpayers' money in this manner is incorrect because a substantial portion of these payments occurs without adherence to proper processes and legal mandates. This compromises the quality of work. Such spending is often done in collaboration among implementing agencies i.e. government offices, contractors and suppliers.

During the first four months of 2022/23, the government's total spending stood at Rs. 351bn. Recurrent expenditure, capital expenditure, and financial management expenditure amounted to Rs 281.39bn, Rs 26.30bn, and Rs 43.31bn, respectively, in the review period.

The government mobilized 20.08 percent of the revenue target set for the current fiscal year in the first four months of 2023/24. Out of Rs 1,422.54bn that the government is looking to raise in the current fiscal year, the government mobilized Rs 276.64bn in the first four months. Of the total revenue, Rs 254.30bn is from tax revenue, and Rs 22.33bn is from non-tax revenue.

Likewise, the government has managed to mobilize Rs 3.75bn as foreign grants in the four months of 2023/24. This is 5.42 percent of Rs 49.94bn that the government is looking to raise under foreign grants in the current fiscal year.

President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting on Wednesday.

In the meeting held at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas, in Kathmandu, President Paudel drew the attention of the government towards expediting the relief distribution operation for the quake-affected ones in the Karnali Province, according to Kiran Pokharel, Press Advisor to the President.

On the occasion, they also discussed contemporary issues, added Press Advisor Pokharel.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 300 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 116, 500 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 116, 200 per tola on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 115, 950 per tola. It was traded at Rs 115, 650 per tola.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,455 per tola today.

The District Administration Office, Kathmandu has issued a Prohibitory order in the areas around the President's Office, Sheetal Niwas, and Prime Minister's residence, Baluwatar.

Issuing the order last night, Kathmandu Chief District Officer, Jeetendra Basnet said the order has prohibited gatherings in groups of more than five persons for protests, procession, sit-in, gherao, hunger strike and assembly.

The order came into effect on November 21 and will remain in force for up to 30 days, Basnet further said.

The order prohibited gatherings in Sheetal Niwas up to Pabitra Workshop towards the east, up to the canal through Samakhushi towards the west, up to the South-East gate of the National Police Training Academy towards the north and up to mode leading to the Police Hospital in the south.

Likewise, the order has declared the areas from Pabitra Workshop Chowk to Nepal Rastra Bank Chowk towards Baluwatar and from Speaker residence up to 100 meters in the west-south of the road heading to Gairidhara as prohibited zone.

It is noted that gatherings in groups for sit-in and protests in the areas having residence and offices of distinguished persons may break peace and security and disrupt public service delivery, so these areas were declared as prohibited zones.

Earlier, the local administration has issued prohibitionary order in Maitaghar-Baneswor and Pulchowk area of Lalitpur. 

Nepal Police have urged the users not to employ VPN and DNS platforms for the operation of government-banned social site, TikTok.

The police cautioned the people for not using illegal and unsafe VPN and DNS platforms as it may result in the theft and loss of their secret and sensitive data.

It may be noted that the Nepal government on November 13 had decided to completely ban the operations of social site, TikTok.

The Nepal Police have called for the users to not use unlawful and unsafe platforms such as VPN, DNS.

The Nepal Police cyber security bureau said it is most sensitive when the incidents of cybercrime are increasing of late.

A wild tusker killed an elderly man in Jhapa.

The deceased has been identified as Padmalal Tamang (72). He has been residing in Bhutanese refugee camp at Beldangi, Damak.

Chief of Division Forest Office, Jhapa, Meghraj Rai said that the wild elephant had attacked Tamang in Humsedumse Community Forest nearby the camp on Tuesday evening.

Tamang has been residing in hut number 252 of sector two in the camp. He had entered the forest area for firewood.

Chief Rai informed that Tamang was found dead in the forest.

The search was intensified when he did not return home till the evening.

Likewise, a wild tusker has demolished a cemented wall of the house of Bishal Dahal in Mechinagar municipality-11.

Dahal reported that the elephant from the Bansbari Community Forest broke the wall, entered the house and ate up 400-kg paddy and 200-kg rice.

India handed over the fourth tranche of earthquake relief support of essential medical supplies to the Government of Nepal.

The support comprising vital medicines and equipment is based on the requirement shared by the Nepal Medical Association,

Till now India has provided over 34 tons of emergency relief materials to the earthquake affected families of Jajarkot and surrounding areas, reads a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.  

India’s humanitarian response to the Jajarkot earthquake affirms its commitment to support Nepal under the Neighborhood First Policy.

India will continue to support the relief efforts in Nepal based on the assessment and priorities outlined by the Government of Nepal.

China has refused the alleged corruption in the construction of Pokhara International Airport.

In responding to a question about Nepal’s reported investigation by Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said she was not aware of the reported internal review in Nepal but what the report mentioned was inconsistent with facts.

Since the inauguration of the airport, which was built by a Chinese enterprise, all facilities have been operating smoothly, playing an active role in improving Nepal’s domestic and international air connectivity, she said.

“The Chinese government always asks our companies to strictly abide by laws and regulations in doing business overseas. Pokhara International Airport is an important infrastructure project in China-Nepal cooperation and hailed in Nepal as a project of national honor,” Mao said. 

“According to my knowledge, Chinese companies took into full consideration the local situation, followed the quality standards strictly during the design and construction, and kept complete records,” the spokesperson said.