Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 24:

The Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (LMC) today announced its proposed budget of Rs 196.89 million for the fiscal year 2005-06, beginning July 16. Komal Prasad Kafle, executive officer of the LMC, presented the budget at the LMC Ninth Town Council. Kafle said 26.93 per cent of the total budget is set aside for regular expenditure and the remaining 73.07 per cent is for development purpose. Tourism, environment and sanitation have received 19.68 per cent of the total budget, whereas Local Development Reform has been allocated 50.75 per cent.

Health, education and sanitation have been allocated 1.12 per cent and 0.76 per cent for production materials, 0.51 per cent of the budget has been set aside for operation of the Mahendra Youth Hostel, and 0.25 per cent has been allocated for poverty alleviation programmes. According to Kafle, the LMC collected a total of Rs 108.38 million in the 11 months of the ongoing fiscal year and the expenditure was Rs 88.02 million. Kafle said the LMC has a programme to honour students from the community schools who secured highest marks in this year’s SLC. Students from disadvantaged communities will be awarded with scholarships, he further said.