Bagmati Province Budget Planning Stalls Amid Vacant Policy Commission Leadership

The commission is tasked with setting long‑term goals, shaping policies across economic, social, infrastructure and natural‑resource sectors, and guiding the annual budget. Its structure calls for one executive vice‑chairman and four members, all filled through political appointments, while ex‑officio seats are held by the chief secretary, the commission secretary and the secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning. Since the new government took office on August 5, the posts of vice‑chairman and four members remain empty, leaving the secretariat to handle technical work without the independent expert body needed for research, monitoring and investment attraction.

After the government formation, no officials have been appointed to the Province Policy and Planning Commission. The project bank currently holds about 22,700 projects and could expand to as many as 50,000. Secretary Bhusal said the periodic plan prevents a policy gap, but the lack of leadership hampers proactive work such as evaluating plans, auditing policies and attracting investment, and that filling the vacancy would improve budget implementation. He also noted that the secretariat continues to fine‑tune project priorities received from thematic ministries, yet the absence of an advisory group limits the commission’s ability to conduct policy audits and study plan effectiveness.

Without a commissioned leadership team, the province risks prioritizing routine, fragmented projects over strategic, transformative initiatives. This could slow the rollout of high‑impact programs and reduce the ability to leverage external funding. Observers note the government is debating whether to abolish or reshape the commission, a decision that will shape future planning capacity. Watch for any appointment announcements or structural reforms in the coming weeks, as they will determine how effectively the 2083/84 budget is executed and whether the province can shift toward a more forward‑looking development agenda.