Budget crunch delays construction of Surkhet Medical College

By Our Correspondent,Kankrebihar, May 3: Seven years have passed since the government started the process to construct the Surkhet Medical College. It was a part of the government’s decision to construct government medical colleges outside the Kathmandu Valley.

The policy of “One Province, One Medical College” was introduced in the 14th Periodic Plan by the government. 

Alongside Surkhet, the process had started to construct the medical colleges in Bardibas and Butwal. However, seven years have passed in vain, since no process have been initiated for the construction of the infrastructure of the college.

A minister-level decision from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on July 11, 2016, had formed a committee to identify possible location for the college.

Around three years later, the Federal Cabinet on February 15, 2019 had accepted the gazette-level jobs alongside the infrastructure development project of the college.

The project’s office was then established in Surkhet on June 2, 2019. A total of 43.19 hectares of land, 27.8 hectares of Ambikadevi Community Forest and 15.39 hectares of Sitapur Community Forest in Birendranagar Municipality have been selected as the site for the medical college. However, the land has not been allotted to the college yet.

Similarly, despite four years of the project office’s establishment, no concrete steps have been taken to start the construction of necessary infrastructures.The Ministry for Education, Science and Technology also accepted the college’s master plan and accepted it during the last fiscal year 2021/22. 

Three months ago, the project submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report at the ministry; however, it has not been accepted yet.

According to the ministry officials, they have forwarded the report to the Forest Ministry only a few days ago.

The project office plans to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) by the end of the current fiscal year 2022/23, but the bidding process for the DPR preparation has not been completed.

“A notice has been published for the bidding of DPR preparation. However, the agreement could not be reached as the Finance Ministry could not assure the source of investment for the project,” said Hem Kumar Dhakal, director of the project office.

Dhakal informed that a budget of Rs. 24 million was allocated for the DPR, but the actual cost is estimated to exceed that amount. “The Finance Ministry has said that it is difficult to provide the additional budget within the current fiscal year. Since we need permission from the ministry for the extra investment, the process has been halted,” said Dhakal.

Dhakal expect the project to get the needed budget in the next fiscal year 2023/24.