The National Council today recommended slashing Nu 139 M from the Budget Appropriation Bill for the Financial Year 2025-26. The amount is allocated for the Priority Development Fund and the establishment of an international school.
Under the Budget Appropriation Bill, Nu 94 M has been allocated for the Priority Development Fund, where each constituency will receive Nu 2 M.
However, the National Council’s Economic Affairs Committee has proposed removing the fund.
“There is no additional budget for this fund. It will come from the existing allocation under the 13th FYP. I have doubts about how effective this will be,” said Phuntsho Rapten, the eminent member, NC.
“This fund will be administered by the MPs, with two million each for their constituencies. They will get to decide where and how to use it. This creates a conflict of interest, as MPs might favour areas where they garnered more support,” said Ugyen Tshering, the eminent member, NC.
The committee further recommended removing the Nu 45 M allocated for the establishment of an international school.
Committee members said as international schools operate as fee-paying, private, and profit-driven institutions, the establishment of the school should be handled by the private sector.
The house will adopt the bill in the coming days.
Deki Lhazom
