Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Prof Dr Shivraj Adhikari, has urged the government to prioritize budget allocation for projects that are ready for immediate implementation.

Speaking at an interaction on the formulation of annual development programmes, the Mid-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), and the NPC’s national project bank on Wednesday, Dr Adhikari said that projects will be categorized based on their level of study and enforceability.

He emphasized that only enforceable projects with a minimum budget of Rs 30 million should be considered, and such projects should not be included in the list of national pride projects unless they meet the set criteria.

Dr Adhikari also stressed that budget allocations should align with the government’s policies and programmes. Projects not included in the national project bank or lacking a detailed project report (DPR) would be relegated for further study, he added.

At the same event, Joint Secretary Khomraj Koirala presented the status of the MTEF, noting that only 40 out of 44 government agencies had submitted data. He also highlighted that capital expenditure had reached just 32 percent.

Another Joint Secretary briefed participants on the national project bank system, reporting that 7,337 projects had been entered into the system, with some still in the drafting phase. -- RSS