By Our Reporter
The foolish job of our politicians to divide a unified nation into a federation by creating seven tiny provinces has now become a financial burden to the nation as well as a breeding ground for new conflicts. When the people in general are unable to feel the presence of the province governments, people in Koshi province have been fighting against its naming. By now one individual died in the protest launched against the naming of Koshi while physical infrastructure worth millions of rupees has been damaged and a few politicians were misbehaved by the agitating locals.
Although the previous province government led by UML, had initiated a process to resolve the dispute, the government itself collapsed, and it is not sure how the issue would be addressed by the new NC-led government which is yet to prove its majority in the Province Assembly.
If the present dispute is not solved in time, there is a fear it may turn into communal violence, because people belonging to the Kirat community have sought correction of the name giving the province an identity-based name. However, the political parties have not paid heed to this aspect. Instead, the UML leaders seem fueling the conflict by openly challenging those who have launched their movement against the name of the province.
Moreover, they have become only an economic burden as the government has been allocating billions of rupees to pay the politicians and meet the administrative costs of the provinces.
In total, the seven provinces on June 17 unveiled a budget of Rs. 279.57 billion with Bagmati Province having the largest budget at Rs. 62.70 billion and Sudurpaschim the smallest – Rs. 29.26.
Of the budget of Rs. 62.70 billion of Bagmati, Rs. 26.60 billion for recurrent expenditure and Rs. 35.50 billion for capital expenditure.
Likewise, of the Rs. 44.11 billion of Madhes, Rs. 25.69 billion (58.25) is for capital expenditure and Rs. 18.22 billion (41.30 per cent) for recurrent expenses.
Of Rs. 29.26 billion budget of Sudurpaschim Province Rs. 9.59 billion (32.79 per cent) fis or recurrent and Rs. 17.2 billion (58.16 per cent) for capital expenditures.
It means nearly 40 per cent of the budget of nearly Rs. 280 billion is allocated to meet the administrative expenditure. This budget itself shows that provinces have become a financial burden to Nepal.
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