Kathmandu, 29 May: For the upcoming fiscal year, the government has allocated a budget of NPR 1.964 trillion (1964.11 billion rupees).
Out of this,
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NPR 1.180 trillion (60.01%) is allocated for recurrent expenditure,
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NPR 407.69 billion for capital expenditure, and
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NPR 375.24 billion (19.1%) for financial management.
This budget is 5.6% higher than the initial allocation of the current fiscal year and 18.2% higher than the revised budget. For the current fiscal year, the government had allocated NPR 1.860 trillion.
To fund this budget, the government expects to generate:
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NPR 1.315 trillion from revenue,
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NPR 362 billion from domestic borrowing,
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NPR 233 billion from external loans, and
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NPR 53 billion from grants.
Budget FY 2082/83: Rs 57.48 billion allocated for agriculture and livestock development
Presenting the budget at the joint session of the federal parliament on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel announced that the funds will support programs ranging from fertilizer subsidies and promotion of organic farming to pilot projects for controlling wild animals harmful to agriculture.
Priority has been given to agricultural insurance, promotion of Chaite rice farming, small irrigation projects, and commercial farming of fruits, vegetables, and livestock along major highways and corridors. Programs targeting high-hill crops like apples, walnuts, and maize, as well as the conservation of indigenous seeds and crops, will also receive significant attention.
Further priorities include promoting organic farming, improving soil health, and boosting entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector. The budget also supports meat export through livestock development, disease control programs, and genetic improvement of animals.
Key initiatives include the “One Village, One Technician” scheme for local-level technical staffing, pesticide monitoring and awareness campaigns, and construction of market infrastructure such as cold storage and processing facilities. The government will also implement a minimum support price policy 15 days before sowing begins.
Efforts will be made to increase production of export-oriented crops such as tea, coffee, cardamom, and churpi, with support for organic certification and export facilitation. Agricultural, livestock, and food laboratories will also be upgraded, and fallow land will be brought under productive use.
Health budget increased to Rs 95.81 billion, insurance claims to be settled within a year
The government has allocated Rs 95.81 billion for the health sector in the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83, marking a rise from Rs 86.24 billion in the current year.
Presenting the annual budget at the joint session of the federal parliament, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel announced that Rs 10 billion has been earmarked for the health insurance program-up from last year’s Rs 7.05 billion.
The minister said the health insurance scheme would be restructured and its legal framework strengthened. Coverage will be expanded and benefit packages tailored to different needs. The Social Health Security Program will be integrated into the broader insurance system, while redundancies will be removed to prevent misuse.
The customs value of electric vehicles (EVs) has been kept unchanged. Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel announced the decision, citing environmental protection and the promotion of electricity trade.
Previously, rumors of a possible price hike led many traders to clear a large number of EVs through customs in advance. However, with taxes remaining unchanged, those who imported in bulk are now facing losses.
