Kathmandu: The directive by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to make public expenditure productive, economical, and rational has started to yield results following its implementation. The Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers (OPMCM) has successfully reduced its annual expenditure.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Prime Minister issued a directive to government secretaries, which led to the OPMCM reducing expenses under categories such as fuel, communications, vehicle repairs, and office supplies. This reduction was observed in the last fiscal year compared to the previous one.
A comparative study of the Prime Minister’s Office’s expenses between the fiscal years 2080/081 and 2081/082 shows significant savings, totaling 20.64 million. The study highlighted savings in miscellaneous expenses, monitoring and evaluation, and the purchase of office supplies and equipment.
During Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s tenure, the expenditure of the Prime Minister’s Office was reduced by 33.27 percent compared to the tenure of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. Notably, there was an increase in monitoring and evaluation expenditures, with 3.352 million spent in fiscal year 2081/082 compared to 2.194 million in 2080/081.
Other ministries and responsible officials have also been held accountable for reducing expenses. The government has prioritized good governance and reforms, establishing a high-level governance reforms commission led by the Prime Minister.
The current government is focusing on cutting public expenditure and increasing the development budget to enhance the economic situation.