• HLP Foundation

Workshop with NILG

The assignment reviewed and revised the Union Parishad budget form to address current needs, with emphasis on nutrition and WASH financing. A consultative workshop with NILG and key stakeholders validated the proposed revisions and promoted adoption of a harmonised and digitised budgeting system (BMET) to enhance transparency and accountability.

This consultancy focused on reviewing and revising the existing Union Parishad (UP) budget form to better respond to present development challenges and community needs, particularly the inclusion of nutrition and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) financing. The assessment found that the current budget form lacks clarity, completeness, and harmonisation with existing planning and budget rules, limiting transparency, accountability, and effective resource allocation at the local government level. Through a combination of desk review, field visits to Union Parishads, and consultations with UP officials, key gaps and inconsistencies in revenue and development budget structures were identified. Based on these findings, a revised UP budget Form “Kha” was developed to reduce duplication, align planning and budget rules, include missing development sectors such as nutrition, and improve public understanding of budget allocations. A national-level consultative workshop was conducted with the National Institute of Local Government (NILG), involving NILG officials, Union Parishad representatives, development partners, and technical experts. The workshop validated the proposed revisions, gathered stakeholder feedback, and built consensus on the need for a dedicated nutrition-WASH budget line and a harmonised, standardised budget format. Participants also emphasized the importance of avoiding duplication of income and expenditure, expanding revenue options, and strengthening institutional capacity for budget formulation and monitoring. To further enhance transparency and efficiency, the revised budget form was converted into a digital Budget Monitoring and Expenditure Tracking (BMET) system. The BMET system enables real-time budget preparation, monitoring, and public access, and was presented during the NILG workshop as a scalable digital solution for Union Parishads nationwide. The initiative supports evidence-based decision-making, strengthens accountability, and aligns local budgeting practices with national financial management systems. Overall, the consultancy and NILG workshop contributed to advancing a more inclusive, transparent, and accountable Union Parishad budgeting framework, with strong potential for institutional adoption and nationwide scale-up. Read More