Pokhara, December 17

The Urban Development Training Centre building has been proposed for the office of the provincial assembly and the assembly secretariat of Province 4.

Likewise, the building now housing the regional administrative office and the immigration office has been proposed for office of province chief, and the regional administrator’s residence for the residence of the province chief.

Similarly, the new tourism development office building has been proposed as the residence of the speaker and Taragaon Resort as residence of deputy speaker of the provincial assembly. “As there will be no regional offices, those buildings can be used for ministries, but we will have to set up new physical infrastructure for new provincial offices. We are planning to seek other alternatives,” said Kaski Chief District Officer Tara Nath Adhikari.

Though it is said that there will be 12 ministries at most in the province, the names of the ministries are yet to be finalised. So, officials are seeking physical infrastructure to house 12 ministries. The district soil conservation office will be used as the residence of chief secretary of the council of provincial ministers.

The regional forest office, the regional education directorate, the drinking water and drainage management office, the regional monitoring and supervision office, the cooperative training and division office, the regional postal directorate, the regional road directorate and the road division office will house the first six ministries.

Likewise, the infrastructure of regional irrigation directorate, the regional health directorate, the regional agriculture directorate, the district agriculture development office, the regional crops preservation laboratory, the regional soil laboratory, the province police office, the urban development office and the building construction department office could house another six ministries.

An estimated budget of Rs 175 million has been set aside for maintenance and repair works of those office buildings. CDO Adhikari has recommended setting up the offices of the provincial assembly and all the ministries and departments at the government offices around Shahidchowk area.

However, they are yet to decide on the office of chief minister. “Half the office building of the district coordination committee can be used as chief minister’s office for the time being. It can later be moved to the under-construction skill development office. However, we are looking for alternatives as well,” said CDO Adhikari.  “The office of the council of ministers and the offices of chief secretary and other secretaries besides departments will remain in the proximity of the office of the chief minister. The office of chief minister should be well-equipped with proper security. Hence, it should be near other ministries,” said CDO Adhikari.

A taskforce led by deputy regional administrator had prepared the report on the provincial office and residence structures. Another committee led by regional administrator Laxman Aryal was formed to study whether the report could be implemented. A meeting of the committee led by administrator Aryal will submit its report to the government.