KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has announced a major policy shift allowing line ministries to independently reallocate budget funds, aiming to streamline public spending.

Speaking at the Inter-Governmental Fiscal Council meeting at the Ministry of Finance, Wagle said the move is designed to ease operations for high-spending ministries by delegating “rakamantar” (budget transfer) authority directly to them.

Previously, even minor expenses—ranging from travel allowances to training costs—required approval from the Finance Ministry, creating bureaucratic delays. “We have relaxed this rigid system and made respective ministries accountable for their own budget adjustments,” Wagle stated.

The reform is expected to reduce administrative bottlenecks and improve efficiency in government spending.

However, the finance minister issued a clear warning: fiscal discipline will remain non-negotiable. “With greater authority comes greater responsibility. Any misuse or breach of financial discipline will result in the authority being revoked,” he cautioned.