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Top priority dev projects moving at sluggish pace
KATHMANDU, APR 01 -
Despite government’s tall claim of surge in development expenditure, priority one (P1) projects are moving at a tardy pace. A report submitted by High-Level Inspection and Monitoring Committee under the Prime Minister’s Office reveals that major development announcements of the current budget are behind schedule.
Ali Akhtar Mikrani, a member of the committee, said they are currently studying the status of 180 P1 projects listed in the budget. “Our study shows that P1 projects are facing many problems in the field and are not making satisfactory progress,” said Mikrani.
The recent report of the committee shows work on the much-talked Melamchi Drinking Water Project, Kathmandu-Hetauda Fast Track, People’s Residence Programme and major road projects are not making much progress. The donors, advisers and even government authorities are not much optimistic about the timely completion of what the report calls ‘high-risk’ Melamchi project.
“The Asian Development Bank seems very much worried and embarrassed about the current status of the Melamchi project,” adds the report. It has suggested that the prime minister should look for political solution to speed up the project.
People’s Residence Programme has also gone behind the schedule by two months. In the budget, the government had pledged to construct 3,000 houses for the poor and marginalised families of Siraha, Saptari and Kapilvastu districts. “The project should speed up work to complete within this year,” the report suggests.
Formed four months ago after widespread complaints of slow progress in development works, the committee closely monitors the progress of P1 projects and reports its status to the prime minister on weekly basis.
Other reports of the government also paint a bleak picture of the P1 projects. The mid-term review of the budget shows the government has been able to spend only 28 percent of the budget allocated for P1 projects. A recent report of National Vigilance Centre (NVC) points out the mismanagement, corruption and malpractices in development projects. “A powerful monitoring body is required to speed up the development projects,” concludes Mikrani.
Posted on: 2010-04-02 07:23
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