Despite the two-third majority stable government, the capital spending has dropped down. Though, this is the time for paying bills of large amounts – mostly submitted by the contractors against works done in February and March – the government has spent only Rs 41 million in an average in the last 11 days, according to Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO).
Though, the contractors have been blaming the government for withholding their payment without any valid reason, the government has only spent Rs 458 million capital expenditure in the past 11 days, which is is against the trend, as government payments would speed up in the months from May to June, during the last trimester. Of the total capital expenditure of Rs 313 billion, capital spending hovers below 40 per cent till date, while only two months for the fiscal year to end.
Not only the capital spending, the government has not been able to spend recurrent expenses, which are meant for regular salaries and adminitsrtive works, too. The government has spent Rs 724 billion, according to the FCGO.
The government has not made payments against works at Gautam Buddha International Airport, different sections of Mid-Hill Highway and other road projects bringing the development works to a halt as the contractors are cash strapped at this moment," said former president of Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal (FCAN) Jayaram Lamichhane. “The government has to immediately pay an estimated Rs 72 billion to contractors and different parties related to development projects,” he said, adding that lack of payment has been affecting their work, while banks and financial institutions have been facing further liquidity crunch and shortage of lendable cash. “It seems the Finance Minister is not aware of this gloomy picture of project management.”
While releasing mid-term report of the budget for the current fiscal year in March, Finance Minister Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada had said that he could not do much toward making timely payments to contractors though he had been receiving several complaints on the matter.
Though, the contractors have been blaming the government for withholding their payment without any valid reason, the government has only spent Rs 458 million capital expenditure in the past 11 days, which is is against the trend, as government payments would speed up in the months from May to June, during the last trimester. Of the total capital expenditure of Rs 313 billion, capital spending hovers below 40 per cent till date, while only two months for the fiscal year to end.
Not only the capital spending, the government has not been able to spend recurrent expenses, which are meant for regular salaries and adminitsrtive works, too. The government has spent Rs 724 billion, according to the FCGO.
The government has not made payments against works at Gautam Buddha International Airport, different sections of Mid-Hill Highway and other road projects bringing the development works to a halt as the contractors are cash strapped at this moment," said former president of Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal (FCAN) Jayaram Lamichhane. “The government has to immediately pay an estimated Rs 72 billion to contractors and different parties related to development projects,” he said, adding that lack of payment has been affecting their work, while banks and financial institutions have been facing further liquidity crunch and shortage of lendable cash. “It seems the Finance Minister is not aware of this gloomy picture of project management.”
While releasing mid-term report of the budget for the current fiscal year in March, Finance Minister Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada had said that he could not do much toward making timely payments to contractors though he had been receiving several complaints on the matter.
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