Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, March 17: The budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile commenced on Monday in Dharamshala, with parliamentarians set to review and deliberate on the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025-26. The proposed budget of ₹ 3,675.30 million is set be slashed as a large chunk of the exile Tibetan government’s funding has been stopped by the US government.
President Penpa Tsering, who also serves as the Finance Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), proposed a consolidated budget of for all departments in the upcoming fiscal year. The allocation includes ₹2,441 million (66.42%) earmarked for social-related expenses, ₹791.18 million (21.53%) for political-related expenses and ₹442.98 million (12.05%) for administrative-related expenses.
“This budget proposal was initially prepared under the assumption that U.S. aid would continue. However, given the current suspension of U.S. funding, adjustments will need to be made during the deliberations,” President Tsering stated. He further noted that as discussions progress, budget cuts will be proposed across various departments to compensate for the funding shortfall. More than 90% of CTA’s annual budget depends on external aid, he emphasized.
Geshe Lharampa Atuk Tseten, Chair of the Budget Estimate Committee, highlighted that approximately ₹100 million has been allocated for celebrations marking His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, though this expenditure is subject to further review in the coming sessions.
The 13-day budget session, scheduled from March 17 to 31, will focus on budget reallocation by reducing non-essential programs across departments. Parliamentarians are also expected to debate alternative revenue sources and cost-cutting measures before final approval. The outcome of this session will be pivotal in shaping CTA’s policies and financial strategies for the upcoming year.
This year’s budget session comes at a time of financial uncertainty as the new U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has announced a significant funding cut, suspending all USAID support to Tibetan refugees and the exile Tibetan government known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration.
