Nepal's Energy Ministry Posts Dismal 3.08% Budget Execution in First Two and a Half Months of FY
The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) has achieved only 3.08 percent financial progress in the first two and a half months of the current fiscal year, prompting Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha to demand accelerated budget implementation and a departure from end-of-year spending habits.
KATHMANDU, Oct 1 — The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) has recorded a financial progress of just 3.08 percent in the first two and a half months of the current fiscal year (FY), according to a review meeting held on Wednesday.
The meeting, which assessed the ministry's performance between mid-July and the end of September, highlighted the sluggish pace of budget execution. In response, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha directed subordinate bodies to accelerate the implementation of budgets and programs.
Minister Shrestha stressed the need to abandon the traditional practice of spending the budget only at the end of the fiscal year, urging instead a systematic approach from the very beginning. He instructed officials to follow a clear schedule for budget implementation and to ensure that project execution advances through timely contract tendering and agreement signing.
"We must create an environment where the system works, not just individuals," Minister Shrestha said. "Merely making a decision is not enough; the ministry and its subordinate bodies must also focus on effective implementation."
The minister expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of authorities to meet deadlines, emphasizing that both the administrative machinery and political leadership must work with a sense of accountability toward the public.
"The abuse of authority is not limited to financial irregularities; failing to fulfill one's responsibilities and obligations on time is also a matter of accountability," Shrestha added.
Highlighting the need for effective coordination among the ministry, departments, and subordinate bodies, Minister Shrestha directed officials to review the work accomplished during the approximately six months since the government's formation and to determine the future course of action and strategy.
He also suggested that provisions for penalties and fines should be implemented where necessary to ensure good governance and administrative reform, and stressed the need to formulate a recovery plan to address damage and push development forward.
The review meeting also noted progress on policy and legal matters during the current fiscal year:
- Two bills—one regarding water resources and another on renewable energy—were submitted to the Council of Ministers.
- Legal opinions were provided on 76 different issues.
- Penalty-related actions were taken in 12 cases.