The Ministry of Finance has begun formulating the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2025/26).

As part of the process, the ministry held consultations with the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, along with related departments and agencies on Wednesday, to discuss budget priorities.

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel emphasized the importance of fiscal discipline and committed to drafting a realistic budget. He stated that a well-structured budget would help prevent unnecessary fund reallocations and amendments.

Paudel highlighted the need to learn from past experiences and ensure coordination among federal, provincial, and local governments to strengthen the implementation of the federal system. He also stressed the importance of cooperation from all ministries and agencies to enhance ownership of the budget across different sectors.

The minister proposed downsizing small projects and urged ministries to be strategic and well-organized when preparing budget proposals, keeping expenditure ceilings in mind.

The Natural Resources Estimation Committee of the National Planning Commission has recommended a budget ceiling of Rs 1965 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. -- RSS