Government Collects Only Half of Revenue Target, Budget Deficit Hits NPR 279 Billion

Kathmandu: In the first eight months of the current fiscal year 2082/83 (Shrawan–Falgun), the government has collected only 50% of its revenue target. According to the Office of the Auditor General, total revenue collected during this period was NPR 747.28 billion, which is just 50.49% of the annual target of NPR 1,480 billion. Of this, tax revenue amounted to NPR 676 billion, non-tax revenue to NPR 70 billion, and grants received totaled NPR 13 billion.Meanwhile, total government expenditure for the first eight months reached NPR 926 billion. Current expenditure stood at NPR 642 billion, accounting for 54.37% of the annual target of NPR 1,150 billion. Capital expenditure for development projects was only NPR 78 billion, which is just 19.24% of the annual target of NPR 407 billion. Thus, the government has spent less than 20% on development projects during this period, leading to a budget deficit of NPR 279 billion. This situation indicates that the government is even dependent on borrowing for routine administrative expenses.