Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has delayed disbursement of a budget of Rs. 46 million to the Indra Jatra Management Committee that hosts the annual festival of the living Goddess for two consecutive years.
As per the one door system, KMC has to allocate Rs. 2.3 million per year to celebrate and manage the festival.
Gautam Shakya, president of Indrajatra Management Committee, said the festival was managed from the savings of the committee after the KMC declined to provide the budget in both the years.
In spite of budget crunch, the festival concluded successfully, but 23 Guthis and other cultural dancers received no incentive even though their role was important to mark the festival with much fanfare, he said.
“We need to provide Rs. 100,000 each to 23 Guthi Khala: and other dance performers. We have been unable to provide them the amount from the last fiscal year,” he added.
He said, “We had talked with the KMC earlier but it had not reimbursed the budget even after the conclusion of the festival although it has been said the KMC has taken steps towards endorsing the pending budget to the committee.”
Ishwor Man Dangol, spokesperson for the KMC, said that Rs. 50 million revolving fund was being established for Indrajatra management. After establishing the fund, the festival will be celebrated from its interest.
Indrajatra will be celebrated from the interest of Rs. 50 million from the next fiscal year. The working procedure of the revolving fund is at the final stage of formulation, Shakya further said.
The revolving fund will be established with the support of Rs. 20 million from the government, Rs. 15 million from the KMC and Rs. 5 million from Guthi Sansthan and Rs. 10 million from the province government.
Source : TRN,
