Kathmandu — Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol has urged Mayor Balen Shah to move forward with the city’s budget formulation process. Emphasizing the expectations and rights of residents, she highlighted the need to create a conducive environment for budget presentation through mutual understanding and collaboration.
In a message shared on her social media on Monday morning, Dangol provided updates on recent discussions with the Mayor, the spokesperson, and members of the executive committee. “Efforts are being renewed to convene the municipal assembly and executive meetings soon,” she stated. “Encouraging signs have emerged from these constructive dialogues.”
Budget Delay Criticized as Breach of Public Trust
As per Nepal’s Constitution and the Local Government Operation Act, the metropolis is legally required to pass the budget for the upcoming fiscal year by the end of Asar (mid-July). However, the process remains uncertain due to the absence of necessary committee meetings. Dangol criticized this delay, calling it a “betrayal of public expectations from local government.”
“The citizens of Kathmandu entrusted us with leadership. Failing to fulfill that responsibility amounts to a breach of trust,” she wrote. She further clarified that placing blame on a single individual will not solve the issue. “If the Chief Administrative Officer has made mistakes, the legal process should be followed. But avoiding meetings is not the solution,” Dangol stated.
She stressed that the presence of all members in official meetings is essential and underlined the important role of the Chief Administrative Officer. “Excluding him from meetings could send the wrong message to the public,” she noted. “We must be accountable, not evasive.”
Call for Cooperation Beyond Politics
Dangol reaffirmed her consistent efforts to adopt a consensus-driven approach despite the limited authority of her position. “My priority is not personal interest, but the collective welfare of Kathmandu’s residents,” she said. She called on all stakeholders to act with restraint and responsibility. “Failing to present a budget is not an option. Let’s rise above politics, beliefs, and ideologies and collaborate in the public interest,” she appealed. “We are all in the same boat — and saving the boat is our shared responsibility.”
Dangol’s core message was clear: meeting the public’s expectations can no longer be delayed. The time to continue Kathmandu’s journey toward prosperity — with dialogue, consensus, and shared commitment — is now.
