Binod Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation The Nepal government is constitutionally obligated to present the budget on Jestha 15. The government, which has been bringing a deficit budget every year, has not been able to fully spend the allocated budget for a long time. The government is obligated to reduce the budget in the mid-term review of all fiscal years. The government is also obligated to spend more than the income. A large part of the budget is being spent on ordinary expenses and foreign debt repayments rather than on development expenses.
This budget for the upcoming fiscal year is being prepared amidst a huge imbalance between income and expenditure. There are many expectations in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year amid long economic turmoil and disappointment. In this context, Nepal has a conversation with Binod Prakash Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, about the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2082/083:
Which area did the ministry prioritize in the budget for the current fiscal year?
We had prioritized issues related to promoting tourism market destinations in the budget for the current fiscal year. There were also issues related to developing sustainable and eco-friendly tourism. We had prioritized issues such as preserving heritage sites in Nepal, organizing archives, and especially increasing the number of tourists in Nepal and increasing tourist stays. Similarly, we had planned to make air services safe and reliable, further organize international airports, and promote and operate the newly constructed Pokhara and Gautam Buddha airports. The budget policy and program included issues to further organize and run Nepal Airlines Corporation profitably. Based on these programs, the Ministry of Tourism and its subordinate departments and boards prepared programs.
What was the size of the budget for the current fiscal year, how has the budget ceiling for the next fiscal year been reached?
The budget for the next fiscal year has decreased compared to the current fiscal year. We have recently received the budget ceiling. This fiscal year, we had a budget of about 4.5 billion rupees. We are working on that. In the fiscal year 2082/083, that budget was only about 4.4 billion rupees. The budget has decreased by 490 million rupees compared to the current fiscal year. However, an additional Rs 1.99 billion has been allocated under foreign aid. But I see that the certainty of receiving that budget is low. Looking at it this way, we had a budget of Rs 5 billion in the current fiscal year, and we have received ceilings to allocate and propose a budget of Rs 6 billion in the next fiscal year. It is estimated that the budget for foreign aid is around Rs 2 billion.
What is the status of the budget expenditure of the ministry?
The budget expenditure of this ministry for the current fiscal year does not seem satisfactory. I do not have that data right now. But in the current fiscal year, the budget expenditure may have been around 18 to 20 percent of the budget. Now, due to more work and more payments in Baisakh and Jestha, it may be possible to spend up to 50 to 60 percent. But looking at the figures so far, it is not very satisfactory. We are not in a position to say that we have done well. Although there has been expenditure on small programs, if we look at the expenditure on large physical development works, it has not been spent satisfactorily.
What programs has the ministry prioritized for the budget of the next fiscal year?
We will work in three areas, namely culture, tourism and aviation. If we look at the ceiling received this time, first of all, the current expenditure must be kept mandatory. The current expenditure is higher than the last fiscal year and there is no possibility of decreasing. There are 36 bodies under the ministry. For that, the current expenditure must be kept. The budget must also be ensured to move forward to complete the successive plans. If we look at the schemes we have now, including the Pashupati Development Fund, the situation of adding new schemes is almost zero. I think that after doing all the work, we will not have more than 20/30 crores of budget left. The programs can be taken forward only after the budget received as foreign aid is also ensured.
Rather than adding more schemes, the first goal should be to complete the ongoing projects by ensuring policy reforms and implementation in the existing schemes and programs. Similarly, it seems that the ministry should focus on reviving airports, increasing tourist arrivals, purchasing or acquiring new aircraft, and ensuring the operation of Bhairahawa Airport. We prioritize these issues.
What programs have you included in the budget for the next fiscal year for the improvement of the tourism sector, what programs will the ministry implement to increase the number of tourists?
We are currently moving forward with the plan to make 2025-2035 a tourism infrastructure and tourism priority decade. It has reached its final stage. After it is passed, not only the budget of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation but also the budget of other ministries can be spent. Because tourism is not something that can be done by this ministry alone. This can also be a strong basis for increasing the number of tourists coming to Nepal. Currently, the work done by some ministries, government agencies and local levels is also directly unrelated to increasing the arrival of tourists and the number of tourists. What is the condition of the roads leading to Lumbini, Pokhara and other major tourist destinations in Nepal? We know. Therefore, if other ministries also cooperate in improving those roads, the number of tourists can be increased. Along with that, the provincial and local governments and the private sector will also have to work together to move forward in terms of access to new destinations and physical infrastructure. The ministry will take the initiative for the necessary legal reforms for such. If we can carry out the programs we have planned in the coming fiscal year, the number of tourists can be increased. It is expected that.
What kind of coordination and collaboration are the federal, provincial and local governments doing to promote domestic tourism, and how does the budget address this?
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## As we are currently in the process of preparing the budget, demands for 5,000 plans have been received. From small local level plans to billions of rupees, plans have been received. This shows that everyone is concerned and interested in improving the tourism sector. Currently, most tourist destinations in Nepal are seeing a rush of domestic tourists, just like foreign tourists before. This will also be economically viable. But we still need to promote domestic tourism. For that, the provincial and local governments have a lot to do. But it seems that the federal government should pay more attention to building structures and making policy reforms there. Even though domestic tourism keeps the economy moving, foreign money will not come in unless foreign tourists come. Along with promoting domestic tourism, increasing the number and stay of foreign tourists remains the main priority.
How have you taken forward the promotional programs to increase the number of foreign tourists?
The heritages we have can be promoted in many ways. We are already doing that work. Some time ago, we were also promoted on BBC and CIN. There are also costs involved in that. It costs 150 million rupees for a few seconds of promotional material on BBC. Nepal is not in a position to promote by spending that much. But now there are many digital media that we are using. The main function of the Nepal Tourism Board is to promote tourism. It is also working. The chairman of the board is the secretary of this ministry. The functions of the board are to promote tourist destinations, especially for foreign tourists. We should participate in various domestic and foreign tourism festivals and promote them through digital means to promote tourism based on the geographical diversity of Nepal.
What is the ministry’s plan to make the budget program implementation more effective in the next fiscal year than in the current fiscal year?
The budget implementation is not likely to be different in the next fiscal year than in the current fiscal year. The programs we are currently doing will be modified. We will focus on how to take forward and further improve the programs being done in the fields of culture, tourism and civil aviation. We also have issues of promoting our tourist destinations in the world tourism market and exploring our physical and intangible heritage. If damaged due to natural disasters, we can rebuild the heritage in the next fiscal year.
Nepal has been blacklisted by the UN. To get out of it, we should also work on making laws and regulations accordingly. We will work more on law reform in the next fiscal year. And in terms of making airports more organized, we will prioritize the improvement of Pokhara and Bhairahawa airports. The ministry proposes necessary programs for Nepal’s tourism sector in the world market. The budget implementation issues move forward according to how the Government of Nepal takes the final shape.
Finally, is it because the Nepal Airlines Corporation has not been able to improve, that it has not been able to bring in the expected tourists?
That is also one of the reasons. Air connectivity is essential for tourism promotion. Currently, it costs 12 thousand to come to India from Europe, while it costs 30 thousand to come to Nepal from India. That may have also affected the promotion of tourism in Nepal. The main reason for that is that Nepal’s own airlines are not sufficient. We have not been able to adjust the fares either. Therefore, our national flag carrier needs to be strong.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्