FinMin forms taskforce to find budget resources for election, reconstruction

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has formed a three-member taskforce to find budget resources for the reconstruction of physical structures damaged during the Gen-Z movement and for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, 2026.

The taskforce comprises the head of the Budget and Programme Division, Suman Dahal; the head of the Foreign Aid Coordination Division, Dhaniram Sharma; and the head of the Revenue Management Division, Uttar Kumar Khatri.

MoF’s spokesperson, Tanka Prasad Pandey, said the taskforce would conduct an internal study on how to manage resources by cutting some plans and programmes included in the current budget.

"Budget is needed for the election and reconstruction. A taskforce has been formed to study how to manage within the current budget the resources needed for the election and reconstruction, and to identify potential areas," Pandey told RSS.

He added that some projects and programmes will have to be slashed and that the taskforce has the mandate to determine priorities.

On Monday, newly appointed Finance Minister Rameshore Prasad Khanal, upon assuming office, said plans and programmes included in the budget through political pressure, those inadequately prepared, and fragmented plans and programmes in the current fiscal year 2025/26 would be cut.

Minister Khanal stated that the government could raise approximately Rs 100 billion for the election and reconstruction through cuts in plans and programmes in the current budget, without introducing a supplementary budget.