Sudurpaschim spends heavily on temples while medicine funds lag

The provincial government in Sudurpaschim has set aside a modest sum for medical supplies while directing vast amounts toward religious sites. According to records for the current fiscal year, the administration provided only Rs30.1 million specifically to acquire free medicines for public health centres. When combining grants provided by the federal government, total spending power for medicine procurement across the province climbs to just Rs50 million. Jhanak Dhungana, chief of the Provincial Health Supply Management Centre, explained the financial distribution setup. The provincial administration handles medical procurement and distribution operations via the centre alongside various district health offices and hospitals operating under the Ministry of Social Development. In contrast to the medical budget, officials approved more than Rs1.15 billion to finance 921 temples situated across the province. Concerns arose regarding the stark difference between the health sector funding and the resources directed to religious shrines. An official expressed astonishment upon discovering the final financial plan, noting that the approved funding for temples surpassed the capital programmes initially submitted for the entire ministry. Observers indicated that lawmakers and community collectives frequently lobby for financial support to build village and local shrines.