KATHMANDU, MARCH 8
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has issued a notice to 86 local levels from the high hilly and mountainous areas of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces, requesting them to identify one place each and send it to the ministry for the purpose of operation of integrated settlement development programme.
As per the notice published by Local Infrastructure Department at MoFAFA today, the specified local levels will have to identify one location each and recommend it for integrated settlement development programme within 10 days. The programme will be included in the annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year and operated in line with the 'High Hilly and Mountainous Area Prosperity Programme Procedure' to improve the living standard of people in the local levels, which are comparatively lagging behind in Human Development Index.
The procedure aims to introduce programmes related to integrated settlement development, physical infrastructure development and livelihood improvement.
It has set seven objectives to attain the goal.
They include identification of economically and socially backward groups, communities and geographical areas in the high hill and mountain; determination of geographical areas where programmes or projects should be operated; setting the criteria for selection and prioritisation of projects; managing project implementation, budget allocation and expenditure system; clarification of criteria and process for providing grants; making clear the role of stakeholders in the implementation of projects; and maintaining uniformity and harmonising project implementation.
As per the MoFAGA, projects or programmes will be operated at the local levels of high hilly and mountainous areas of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces.
Nine local levels of Darchula, 12 local levels of Bajhang, 10 local levels of Achham, eight local levels of Bajura, four local levels of Mugu, eight local levels of Dolpa, seven local levels of Humla, six local levels of Jumla, nine local levels of Kalikot, six local levels of Rukum West and seven local levels of Jajarkot will be entitled to the projects or programmes.
The procedure envisions a provision of cost partnership to instil a sense of ownership of development activities in the local levels concerned. The federal government will contribute maximum 90 per cent of the total budget, whereas the local levels are obliged to bear minimum 10 per cent cost. Grant amount anywhere between Rs 2.5 million and Rs 20 million will be provided to each local level for the implementation of approved development programme or project.
However, the federal government may increase the grant amount on the basis of population of the local level, Human Development Index, poverty rate and needs of economically and social backward groups.
The eligible local levels may also operate multi-year programme or project, with the approval of the Ministry of Finance.
The programmes or projects to be operated at the local levels include small road upgradation, community infrastructure, water supply and sanitation, irrigation and river training, energy, disaster risk reduction infrastructure, integrated settlement development, income generation and livelihood improvement, among others.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 9, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
