LALITPUR: About 30 per cent of the total developmental budget allocated for the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) is likely to be frozen.

“More than 70 per cent of the development budget will be used by the end of the current fiscal,” said Punya Prasad Neupane, secretary at the MoLD. “The development works are being carried out rapidly ,” said Neupane.

According to the MoLD, a total of Rs 25.31 billion, including office expenses, was allocated for the current fiscal year apart from grants from other ministries and donors. Out of it Rs 16.63 billion was allocated for the development projects alone.

Neupane said that unfavourable political condition was the major drawback in carrying out development projects. “Absence of elected local bodies and differences among the political parties at the local level have also obstructed development works ,” he said, adding unused budget would automatically be deposited in the national coffer.

There are 3,915 VDCs, 58 municipalities and 75 District Development Committees in the country. Each of the VDCs has been allocated Rs two to three million for the local development, according to the ministry.