KATHMANDU: Dakshinkali Municipality today launched the One-Stop Service Delivery (OSSD) system to make public services more accessible, reduce administrative hassles and allow residents to receive various services through a single service point.

"Our intention is that ward residents should not have to go elsewhere for services that can be provided from their own ward. If we can simplify these services and make them available closer to people's homes, citizens will benefit," said Mayor of Dakshinkali Municipality Mohan Basnet.

The service was inaugurated in Ward No. 1 today as part of an initiative supported by the Provincial and Local Governance Strengthening Programme (PLGSP), led by the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration. PLGSP is implemented with financial assistance from the Government of Nepal, European Union, Government of Norway and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme. The OSSD initiative in Dakshinkali is part of wider efforts to strengthen local governance and public service delivery under PLGSP, which is implemented across the seven provinces.

The OSSD centre was inaugurated in the presence of Madan Bhujel, Secretary at MoLCFAGA along with ministry and PLGSP officials, municipal representatives, including Chief Administrative Officer Rammani Kafle and Ward Secretary Jai Thapa Magar, and service receivers.

The initiative supports the federal government's goal of bringing government services closer to citizens, said Secretary Bhujel. The federal government, according to Bhujel, has taken forward this new practice with the vision that the powers of Singha Durbar should reach the ward level.

He said decentralisation should not remain limited to the transfer of authority but should also be reflected in the way ordinary people receive public services.

Under the new arrangement, the municipality aims to bring a range of municipal services together through a more coordinated system. "We will observe how it functions in Ward No. 1 and then introduce the same system in all other wards," Mayor Basnet said.

"Initially, some service users may face difficulties as many are not familiar with digital technology. However, we believe they will gradually become comfortable with the new system. We are pleased that the ministry and PLGSP selected our ward to pilot the OSSD initiative," said Ward Secretary Magar.

Following the inauguration, Bhujel, accompanied by ministry and PLGSP officials, visited the municipality office and held discussions with municipal representatives.

During the visit, the secretary expressed a commitment to introducing land-related services in Dakshinkali Municipality in the near future. The proposed introduction of land services is expected to further expand the range of public services available locally.