PM Prachanda holds discussion about progress of national pride projects

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Mar. 3: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' today held a discussion about the progress of national pride projects with the Minister and the other concerned officials of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Prakash Jwala, secretary of the Ministry Keshav Sharma, joint secretaries, and heads of the department under the ministry were called for the discussion at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.

The PM shared in the meeting that he was monitoring the projects regularly and instructed that work performance should be arranged in such a way that the project head is held accountable for any increase in the cost of the project, according to the secretariat of the PM.

The PM took the briefing about the progress of the north-south Khandbari-Kimathanka road project (Koshi Corridor), Kaligandaki Corridor, and Karnali Corridor.

Secretary Sharma said in the meeting that both physical and financial progress of the Koshi corridor has been 32 per cent and that there is progress also on road construction.

Similarly, the physical progress of Kaligandaki Corridor has been 63 per cent while its financial progress stands at 55.7 per cent. Secretary Sharma said expected progress was lagging due to constraints on resource management.

Secretary Sharma also briefed that the physical and financial progress of the Karnali Corridor has also been satisfactory.

PM Prachanda said in the meeting that the physical and human progress in the years since the establishment of the republic has been far more encouraging than that seen in the 240 years of monarchy. "What we need to do is disseminate this reality to the people."

"There has been a lot of good work on the physical and human development sector in the last 15 years since the republic was established. However, due to the lack of appropriate communication to the people about this, a kind of desperation is seen," said the PM.

In the meeting, the PM instructed the physical infrastructure minister to accord high priority to development projects and create an environment for the project heads so that they stay in the field until the project is complete.