Dozens of new town plans incomplete due to budget shortage

By Our Correspondent,Rukum West, Mar. 22: More than a dozen plans from the New Town Project Coordination Office in Rukum West's Chaurjahari are facing inadequacy due to a lack of budget. 

Some of the projects that have started construction have been exempted in the current fiscal year, while the majority of them are experiencing budgetary constraints.

According to project chief engineer Kamal Kumar Darlami Magar, only 10.77 per cent of the budget has been spent in the current year. Financial progress is slow due to the lack of assurance of funding sources for various schemes that have been initiated.

He said that there is a shortage of Rs. 93.3 million to complete various schemes in the current fiscal year. 

The construction of five community buildings that started last year is in the final stage. However, this year, they are not included in the plan and budget, he informed. About 75 per cent of the work has been completed. He said that Rs. 9.99 million is required to finish this project. 

The construction of the bus park in the main market centre of Chaurjahari has also been halted. Even though Rs. 4.18 million is needed to complete the bus park project, it is not included in this year's plan.

Similarly, the blacktopping work for the Gharigaun-Mankot-Amalatakura and Bijayashwari to Mankot roads is not included in the plan and budget. Rs. 10.27 million is needed to complete this project. Although it is part of the plan, the programme to blacktop the main roads of Chaurjahari has been hampered due to budgetary constraints.

According to the office, there is a shortfall of Rs. 31.4 million for this purpose. There is a shortage of funds for the construction of physical infrastructure within the land consolidation project area. An additional Rs. 22.5 million is needed to complete this plan.

Similarly, there is a shortfall of Rs. 983,471 to complete the blacktopping of the road, road upgradation work, sewerage, and other works up to Kholagaun. The main and internal road blacktopping work of Ward Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Chaurjahari Municipality has been excluded from this year's plan, requiring an additional Rs. 3.8 million.

Work done, contract not closed  

Although the road upgradation of Bijayashwari and the construction of integrated service centre infrastructure started under the project have been completed, the contract has not been finalised due to insufficient payment. Following the completion of this project last year, Chaurjahari Municipality has already started administrative services from that building.

Magar said that around Rs. 20.63 million has been paid for the project, which was contracted for Rs. 28.96 million. This plan and budget have also faced cuts this year. The office stated that in the current fiscal year, written details of the plans that have been exempted and are facing budget shortages have been sent to the New Town Project Coordination Office in Kathmandu.