KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 24
The National Planning Commission is preparing to conduct a detailed study on the effectiveness of special and complementary grants provided to the local level.
An official at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration informed that the local levels were directed to cooperate with the NPC for study.
The government has already developed and implemented the Procedure for Special Grants to make necessary provisions regarding the grant to be provided to the projects or programmes launched by the local levels across the country.
The government provides special grants for projects or programmes related to educational development of the areas with low literary rate, basic health services, water supply and uplift of groups or communities, equitable economic and social development, among others.
Special grants may also be spent to maintain balance among the local levels or provinces in terms of physical and human development, ensuring food security in the areas with low food production, and waste management by using modern technologies.
Similarly, the local levels are entitled to spend complementary grants on five sectors only. They include economic sector, infrastructure, agricultural land reform, forestry, social sector and good governance. Each of the five sectors has various sub-sectors.
The economic sector comprises sub-sectors such as tourism infrastructure construction projects/ programmes.
Likewise, agricultural land reform and forestry sector include projects/ programmes related to agricultural products storage house and cold storage, irrigation and river training, and conservation of forests, environment and watershed areas.
As per the MoFAGA, infrastructure sector will deal with model housing projects/programmes, construction of medium and large bridges, local and agricultural roads, science and technology infrastructure, and electricity generation and transmission.
Likewise, social sector includes construction of school and university buildings, health posts, water supply and waste processing. Good governance sector covers construction of ward office buildings, relocation of vulnerable settlements and reconstruction of public infrastructure damaged by the disasters.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 24, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
