House panel directs the govt to complete pride project soon

Kathmandu, Oct. 12: The Development Committee under the Legislature-Parliament Thursday directed the government and line ministries to complete the national pride projects at the earliest possible date regardless of the situation prevailing.

Expressing its serious concern and dissatisfaction at the sluggish progress at the large infrastructure project, the committee criticized the government, Office of the Prime Minister and other concerned ministries, and asked them to find out the cause of the slow pace of construction.

“If the present pace of construction remains the same, it would take about 60 years to complete the national pride projects. Similarly, the capital expenditure at those projects is always below 70 per cent,” said Rabindra Adhikari, Chairman of the committee.

Stating that the lack of physical infrastructure hampers the economic and social development, the committee directed the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the national priority projects with seamless budget allocation and provide additional money if required.

Construction works at some of the projects was affected due to the delayed imbursement of the budget.

Similarly, the house panel made a note that the country was marred by the donor-driven development concept where the international agencies identified the development need and the country prepared plans as per that.

“Even after the 6 decades of planned development in the country, we don’t have any project that the nation can be proud of, neither we have any significant economic event till now,” reads the decision of the panel.

It directed the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development and its agency Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads (DOLIDAR) to develop the infrastructure at the local level in holistic approach.

“The country is investing a huge amount of money in upgrading the infrastructure developed by the DOLIDAR which has become an impediment to the diversification of development. Therefore, all the infrastructure build should have better quality,” said Adhikari.

The committee specifically pin-pointed to the slow progress at Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track, Nijgadh International Airport, and Pokhara and Bhairahawa Regional International Airport, North-South highways, optical fibre expansion, utilisation of Rural Telecommunication Development Fund, and improvement of the Tribhuvan International Airport. 

It asked the relevant agencies and authorities to forge effective collaboration and provide sufficient funds required.

The house panel also asked the Office of the Prime Minister and Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to punish officials who do not perform duties and neglect their responsibilities.

It directed the government and the Ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation to complete the Melamchi Water Supply Project by mid-March next year.