POKHARA, July 13: A budget of Rs 4 billion has been proposed for Pokhara-Lekhnath Metropolitan City for the upcoming fiscal year 2017/018. 

In the metropolis's first municipal meeting on Thursday, Mayor Man Bahadur GC unveiled the budget of Rs 4.03 billion for the country's biggest metropolis. The budget includes a central grant of Rs 1.82 billion and Rs 2.21 billion from the metropolis' tax collection.

The mayor said they have prioritized education, health, tourism, cleanliness, roads, irrigation and agriculture in the upcoming fiscal year, which will kick off after two more days on July 16. 

The metropolis has given the highest priority to infrastructure development, for which Rs 1.36 billion has been allocated. The budget on infrastructure development alone is almost 34 percent of the total budget. Under the metropolis development policy, Mayor GC said they have plans for Kerung-Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini Highway that would start from the Nepal-China border, Korala of Mustang.

“We also aim to control pollution through our 'Clean City, Green City' agenda. Under this agenda, we will conserve rivers and lakes and control all types of pollution,” said the mayor. 

Likewise, under 'Ujjyalo Metropolitan' program, they have planned to install street lights, CCTV cameras, traffic lights, and manage parking facilities, among others. They also have plans to conduct feasibility study of Pokhara-Lumbini fast track and develop three ring roads and upgrade road quality.

The metropolis also has allocated Rs 130 million for environment management, Rs 470 million for social security allowance, Rs 2.3 million for economy development and Rs 150 million under various other sections. 

Likewise, Mayor GC said they will also implement 'one ward, one bank' policy in collaboration with banks. He further said that a weekly marketplace would be developed within the metropolis for the trade of local products.

Other priorities of the metropolis include removing telephone wires and installing optical fibers and installing electricity wires underground. Likewise, the mayor's budget also includes an integrated settlement development program to provide one house to each family of squatters, landless and labors.

Under education development, GC plans to upgrade Prithivi Narayan Campus to a university and encourage higher education among the locals. 

 
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