Govt nod for cost participatory projects

Kathmandu, January 8

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has given the nod for operation of cost participatory development projects in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and all sub-metropolitan cities and municipalities under Urban Infrastructure Development Programme.

Earlier, the government had enacted Municipal Areas Infrastructure Development Programme Operation Procedures, 2016 for operation and management of infrastructure development activities based on cost participation of municipalities.

The main objective of the procedures is to make implementation of infrastructure development programme in urban areas simple and transparent. The programme will be carried out in KMC, Kageshwori Manahara, Nagarkot, Shankharapur, Dakshinkali and Tarkeshwor municipalities in the Valley in the current fiscal, said a circular issued by the ministry.

The MoFALD has also issued directives to the local bodies to construct only blacktopped roads while expanding road network as per the approved standards. Construction of road, sewer system and bus park, city hall, water reservoir, utility lines, rainwater harvesting pond and municipal-level hospital are the major infrastructures to be constructed under the procedures, read the circular.

Renovation of historical and archaeological heritages, and construction and development of shopping mall, stadium, yoga hall, covered hall, municipal-level information centre, land pooling, landfill site, waste treatment and recycling centre, slaughterhouse, public toilet, park, resting place, micro hydro and wind energy system have also been incorporated in the development programmes.

As per the procedures, the government will provide to the municipalities at least 50-70 per cent grant for the construction and development of any infrastructure in such a way that the remaining cost would be borne by the concerned municipality.

The portion of cost to be borne by the municipalities should be managed from the internal income and conditional grants.

The procedures provide for a provision of a nine-member central steering committee headed by secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development for coordination, facilitation, monitoring and evaluation of infrastructure development projects.

Local bodies have also been allowed to carry out land pooling, integrated settlement development and house pooling to make the municipal areas resilient to earthquakes. These programmes aspire to redevelop a city.

If more than 51 per cent house/land owner or at least 50 households of an area agree on integration of immovable property with allocation of certain percentage of land for road infrastructure and open space, the concerned municipality may initiate the integrated settlement programme.