Kathmandu, April 5

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has directed the Office of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, all 12 sub-metropolitan cities and 204 municipalities to set up Municipal Information Centre in their responsibility areas by mid-May.

A notice issued today by the MoFALD said, “KMC, all sub-metropolis and municipalities are required to set up Municipal Information Centre in their offices or at the centre of their responsibility area or at a place accessible to the people,” it read.

For this, the local bodies will coordinate with concerned District Development Committee, district chamber of commerce and industry, local people, NGOs and other stakeholder agencies.

They will also be required to inform people about the establishment and operation of MIC through the local media.

“MIC, in coordination with Sajha Publications and other related agencies, will have to keep reading materials on Nepali literature, history and arts, existing acts, rules and guidelines relating to local bodies, decisions and current programmes of municipalities, municipal development plan, indicators of child-friendly local governance, indicators of performance contract, details of arrears and municipality profile, among others, for the local people and interested readers,” it informed.

The MIC will also have audio-visual materials, television set, computers, free Wi-Fi and Internet facilities. The MoFALD has directed the local bodies to operate the MIC on a regular basis.

Necessary human resources for such information centre and library will be provided by the concerned municipality. The MoFALD also plans to operate the NIC and library separately in near future.

The NIC will display the designs of earthquake-resistant houses, model equipment necessary for safety at the time of earthquake and various services to be available from district-based offices.

“The MoFALD will make necessary arrangements of budget for the operation of MIC and library in the next fiscal year,” read the notice.