15, 2025, August, Birendranagar, Surkhet.
A high-level discussion on the effectiveness of the Karnali Province Government’s budget implementation and a review of all trimesters of the Fiscal Year 2081/82 (2024/25) budget concluded successfully in Birendranagar. The program was organized by the Hriti Foundation under the Subnational Governance Program (SNGP), implemented through a strategic partnership between the Australian Government and The Asia Foundation.
The event brought together prominent provincial leaders, including Hon. Rajeev Bikram Shah, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of Karnali Province; Hon. Tekraj Pachhain, Chief Whip of the ruling party in the Karnali Provincial Assembly; Hon. Bindaman Bista, Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee and former Finance Minister of Karnali Province; and members of the Karnali Province Planning Commission, Hon. Ashoknath Yogi and Hon. Dambar Bahadur Rawal. Representatives from the private sector, media, youth groups, and civil society were also in attendance.
During the program, Mr. Dinesh Gautam, Executive Director of Hriti Foundation, presented key findings from the Foundation’s analysis of Karnali Province Government’s budget implementation for FY 2081/82, highlighting strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement.
Participants stressed that enhancing the budget implementation rate and overall effectiveness demands active collaboration, transparency, and accountability from the government, bureaucracy, and private sector alike. Minister Rajeev Bikram Shah underscored that the government needs not only criticism but also constructive policy feedback from private sector actors, think tanks, and civil society organizations. He also noted that the provincial government has initiated measures to address challenges in budget execution.
Attendees further emphasized the importance of assessing not only numerical implementation rates but also the quality, relevance, and long-term impact of the implemented programs.
