The Gandaki Provincial Government, while unveiling its annual budget for Fiscal Year 2026/27, has placed the fulfillment of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Nepal and the basic needs of citizens among its key priorities.
In the budget statement of Rs. 32.99 billion presented to the Provincial Assembly by Minister for Economic Affairs Jit Bahadur Sherchan, financial allocations have been made to support commitments related to human rights protection, social inclusion, and the empowerment of marginalized communities, which were outlined in the government’s previously approved policies and programmes.
The budget statement seeks to incorporate the roadmap earlier set by the Gandaki Provincial Government through its policies and programmes to address the basic rights and needs of citizens. In particular, the budget includes measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict, provide relief to farmers affected by crop damage, and conserve fodder plants and promote afforestation in forest areas. These measures contribute to ensuring citizens’ rights to safely pursue their occupations and livelihoods, as well as their right to food sovereignty.
As stated in the policies and programmes, the budget has continued the “Bhagat Sarbajit Skill and Vocational Development Programme” to promote the dignity, equality, and empowerment of the Dalit community while modernizing their traditional knowledge and occupations. Reaffirming a policy of zero tolerance toward caste-based discrimination and untouchability, which remain harmful social practices, the budget has also allocated funds to support, protect, and rehabilitate inter-caste couples.
Likewise, the allocated budget has adopted policies aimed at protecting the fundamental rights of women, children, minorities, and senior citizens. These include strengthening rehabilitation centres for sexual and gender minorities, street-connected individuals, and other vulnerable groups to support their protection and social mainstreaming. To expand children’s rights and access to inclusive education, the budget has provided resources for Braille education, sign language, and specialized learning support for children with autism. Priority has also been given to upgrading community campuses and implementing the “Learn and Earn, Earn and Learn” programme to link education directly with employment and self-employment opportunities.
Similarly, the budget has introduced initiatives focusing on the identification of non-communicable diseases, mental health awareness, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles through yoga and meditation campaigns. To protect the rights related to safe motherhood and women’s health, financial provisions have been made for incentives to Female Community Health Volunteers, free blood services, financial assistance for cancer patients, and air rescue services for pregnant and postpartum women facing risks. To improve public health, budget allocations have also been made to expand access to safe drinking water under the slogan “Clean Water, Healthy Life.”
One of the most positive aspects of the budget statement presented by the Gandaki Provincial Government is that it does not view development solely through the lens of physical infrastructure but recognizes human rights and social justice as the foundation of development. The budget directly links financial resources with the concerns of women, children, Dalits, marginalized minorities, and senior citizens in line with the spirit of the government’s policies and programmes.
The budget also incorporates citizens’ rights to justice and security through measures such as internalizing the ongoing National Human Rights Action Plan at the provincial level, strengthening the institutional capacity of local judicial committees, and implementing programmes aimed at reducing violence against women and children, as well as other social crimes. However, the main challenge now lies in ensuring effective implementation so that the allocated resources reach the intended beneficiaries