National pride projects fare poorly

Kathmandu, May 3:

Physical and financial progress of the National Pride Projects continues to remain pathetic by the end of eight months of the Fiscal Year 2016/17.

According to the National Planning Commission (NPC) only seven projects have achieved above 50 per cent financial progress while six of projects development is below 25 per cent as compared to the budget allocated.

There are 21 national pride projects including highways, airports, water supply, railways, hydroelectricity, irrigation, river diversion and religious area development.

The Second International Airport (SIA), Postal Highway and Kathmandu-Terai Fast Track fared very poor with 1.5 per cent, 8.8 per cent and 6 per cent financial progress respectively.

“However, their physical progress is 33.5 per cent, 27.5 per cent and 6 per cent respectively,” said NPC vice-chairman Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha.

Progress of the North-South Koshi Corridor, Budhigandaki Hydroelectricity Project and Ranijamara-Kulariya Irrigation Project is remarkable with more than 90 per cent financial progress.

Similarly, the physical progress at the Budhigandaki is 100 per cent as Detailed Project Report and Environmental Impact Assessment Report were approved, compensation was paid for 133 ropani land acquired and 58,153 ropani land aquired. Its financial progress is 435 per cent.

According to Dr. Shrestha, the Sikta and Ranijamara-Kulariya irrigation projects met 100 per cent financial progress although the physical progress of Sikta is 53 per cent only.

He also said that of 353 first priority projects, 118 achieved more than 80 per cent progress and 102 achieved 50 to 80 per cent progress so far.

The government has categorized 353 projects as the first priority, 113 as second priority and 18 third priority.

The vice-chairman of the national planning body informed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda that by 29 April the government could spend 30 per cent of the development budget.

Erstwhile Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had allocated Rs. 311.95 billion for development works, of which only Rs. 90 billion has been spent so far.

The government is celebrating the current fiscal year as the budget execution year.

PM Prachanda directed the NPC to develop the standard to announce any project as the national pride, and development procedure of such projects as well.

“You should develop a mechanism to facilitate the execution of development programmes at federal, provincial and local level,” he said.

He reminded his earlier directives to spend more than 80 per cent of the national budget.

“This year has brought us many hopes. Most of the economic indicators are positive and GDP growth rate is estimated to reach about 7 per cent while inflation will be contained below 7 per cent,” stated PM Prachanda.

According to the PM, the government is carrying out development works along with the preparation of local level elections, and concerned agencies were directed duly in this regard.

Minister for Urban Development Arjun Narsingh KC proposed to provide Rs. 100,000 to the deprived people to buy land so that the government could build house for them under ‘Janata Awas programme’.