Kathmandu, July 13 

The Tokha Municipality in Kathmandu has set priorities to the containment of COVID-19 crisis and the disaster management issues in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The municipality that is located in the northern belt of Kathmandu has unveiled a budget for Rs 1.58 billion for the fiscal year 2020-21. The local government has allocated Rs 1.44 billion under capital expenditure while Rs 141.5 million has been announced as the recurrent expenditure.

According to Mayor Prakash Adhikari, Rs 20 million has been appropriated for the corona virus containment efforts and Rs 10 million for the cause of disaster management. “ “Control of global pandemic of COVID-19 and response to disaster likely to occur at different times were our major concerns while formulating budget for the upcoming fiscal year,’’ the mayor shared. The municipality has announced Rs 9.5 million for maintenance, Rs 5 million for sports development followed by Rs 4 million for forestry, environment and sanitation fund and Rs 1.5 million for health sector.

Similarly, Rs 2.5 million is meant for undertaking culture conservation efforts, Rs 500 thousand for human resource development and Rs one million for the protection of public land. Similarly Rs 3 million has been released for implementing women development programmes. Rs 5 million has been allocated under the heading of agricultural development and Rs 3 million for livestock development.

Cooperatives development is featured as one of the targets of budget as Rs 3 million has been announced for the same. The municipality has allocated Rs 20 million for municipal partnership programme and Rs one million for the operation of basic examinations.

Deputy Mayor Gyan Maya Dangol said socio-economic development, infrastructure development, agriculture, education, health, tourism promotion, conservation of cultural heritages and issues concerning women and children are other areas of special focus in the budget.