Nepali Times
From The Nepali Press
Royal purse



The budget allocated Rs 329.2 million for royal palace expenses against Rs 116.3 million recommended by the special session of the House of Representatives called by the five agitating political parties. The parties also demanded the dismantling of the royal council, but the new budget increased its expenses by more than Rs 1.82 million from the previous year. After parliament was dissolved last year, the royal palace purse was plumped up by 532 percent to Rs 619.1 million in last year's annual budget. This year the budget was decreased by Rs 58.7 million, but it doesn't document why or on what grounds. While some speculate that it had to do streamlining staff in the royal palace, others would like to believe criticism from the political parties had an effect.

The new royal budget allocation is still extravagant, considering it amounts to more than the total sum allocated for the three most insurgency-affected districts of Rolpa, Rukum and Salyan. The 2001 census shows that the total population in those districts was 814,000. Based on that number, the government set aside Rs 323.6 million for the districts. Simple arithmetic: Rs 635 will be spent every single minute for the royal palace. Meanwhile, the good people of Rolpa, Rukum and Salyan will receive only Rs 527 per person annually.
Budget breakdown for the royal palace -

One year: Rs 329.2 million
One month: Rs 27.4 million
One day: Rs 914,000
One hour: Rs 39,000
One minute: Rs 635
One second: Rs 11


LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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