Kathmandu, December 15:

The Minister for Local Development, Rajendra Prasad Pandey, today said that the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) should strive to make Kathmandu on par with international cities.

Speaking at a function organised on the occasion of KMC Municipality Day, Pandey said waste management should be prioritised in KMC’s action plan. “We equally need local people’s participation for the sanitation drive,” he added. According to him, maintenance of roads should be the next priority as the number of vehicles in the capital is rising.

Bhagawati Kafle, secretary of the ministry, said the local government would be allowed to exercise full autonomy at the local level to execute its programmes.

Dinesh Thapaliya, KMC chief administrator, said the ‘Clean, Green and Prosperous’ Kathmandu motto has been the guiding vision of the KMC and it is working towards achieving this goal. “We are thinking of delegating more power and giving autonomy to ward offices for implementing plans at the local level,” he added. He said the KMC would promote “proportional development programmes” instead of “equal development.”

“We should introduce development schemes identifying the needs of the localities,” he said.

On the occasion, the KMC awarded prizes to the winners of various activities conducted throughout the year. It also honoured 13 individuals serving the KMC for 28 years and the two highest taxpayers to it.