Ministers told to focus on dev projects

KATHMANDU, JAN 23 -

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Sunday directed ministers to focus seriously on implementing development projects. He also termed progress in the projects “disappointing so far.”

Addressing a meeting of the National Development Problems Solution Committee held at the National Planning Commission (NPC), the Prime Minister said it was disappointing that only 14 percent of the budget allocated was released for capital expenses in six months.

The meeting chaired by the PM had been called to review progress in the development budget in the first four months of the current fiscal year. During the four months, the country had witnessed only six percent of capital expenditure.

As most of the projects recorded progress below 50 percent than the target, Bhattarai also directed ministers to study the projects recording below 50 percent progress by devising a policy of reward and punishment.

During the interaction, some ministries reported that they are yet to get NPC approval for some of their top priority projects.

The government has categorised 283 projects as P1 projects in the current fiscal year, while only 228 had reported their progress in reports.

The PM also stressed on the need to expand investment in the agriculture sector that has witnessed slow investment of late.

The ministers attending the meeting pointed out to the delay in budget release, lack of qualified and technical human resource, frequent transfer of employees, lack of inter-ministry coordination, absence of VDC secretaries, problems of awarding compensation to land acquired while constructing and widening roads and lack of doctors and health workers as obstacles to the development projects.

The ministers also put forth specific problems facing the ministries they are heading. According to an NPC official who attended the meeting, Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun apprised the gathering of the latest status of capital expenditure. “Capital expense in the development projects is only one-third, while foreign currency reserve was Rs 370 million.”

Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Lokendra Bistamagar stressed on the need for a new radar at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

NPC Vice-Chairman Dipendra Bahadur Kshetry said similar meetings will be held within one month of the expiry of four months of a fiscal year. Earlier, the meeting used to be held in a gap of one-and-a-half years.