Sluggish progress in national pride projects

Kathmandu, Sept. 11: Despite government giving them top priority in budget and other aspects since 2012, the national pride projects are faring poorly.

The priority one projects that could change the economic and development scenario in their respective areas are in execution as much as 32 years since their announcement and implementation, according to the National Planning Commission (NPC).

Lumbini Development Trust is the oldest large project still running since its announcement 32 years ago while Babai Irrigation has taken 30 years to achieve just about 60 per cent physical progress and 47.2 per cent budget spending, Vice-Chairman of the NPC Prof. Dr. Puspa Raj Kandel said at the National Development Action Committee (NDAC) meeting on Tuesday.

 Similarly, Pashupati Area Development Trust has achieved just 40.2 per cent progress in the last 17 years.

The West Seti Hydroelectricity Project has not moved an inch towards implementation since its announcement more than two decades ago, and Budhigandaki Hydroelectrity and Kathmandu-Terai Expressway have witness negligible achievement.

West Seti and Budhgandaki are being ping ponged to multiple international developers such as Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation (SMEC), China Three Gorges Corporation (CTGC), China Gezhouba Group Corporation, and Nepal government in the previous years.

But, both the projects are in doldrums now with no company showing interest in developing them.

However, there are a couple of hopes such as 456 mw Upper Tamakoshi Hydel Project which has achieved almost 100 per cent financial and 96.4 per cent physical progress. The project delayed by the 2015 earthquake is running in seventh year and is expected to be completed within this fiscal year.

Likewise, President Chure Terai Madhesh Conservation Project has achieved 90.8 per cent progress in the last eight years.

Other projects doing well are the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa with 50 per cent achievement in three years.

There are 21 national pride projects including four irrigation, three hydropower, three international airports, six roads, one/one drinking water, electric railway and environment conservation, and to religious area development.

The NPC said that the project managers, procurement process, poor planning and execution were the major reasons behind the pathetic progress at the national project.

It had proposed to formulate an act to address these maladies and define the framework to select and execute the national pride projects but its yet to be realised.

Delayed Projects (progress in percentage):

Project	Physical Progress	Financial Progress	Years
Lumbini Development	80	80	32
Babai Irrigation	59.5	47.2	30
West Seti Hydroelectricity	0	0	21
Pashupati Area Development	40.2	40.2	17
Melamchi Water Supply	83.7	87.4	16
Sikta Irrigation	56.7	56.6	12
Postal Highway	25	41.9	11
Kathmandu Terai Fast Track	-	5.8	10
Mid-Hill Highway	45	33.9	10
Ranijamara-Kulariya Irrigation	36	34.8	10

Source: NPC

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 12 September 2018.