Bagmati Province preparing to make Plan Bank

By Rammani Dahal,Hattisudhe (Makawanpur), Mar. 9: Speakers at a programme emphasised on selecting plans and programmes sent by the provincial and federal governments to the local levels based on needs rather than access.

The emphasis had been placed on selecting plans based on the needs of the locals, saying that the lack of monitoring and regulation of provincial and federal government plans has resulted in the state's investment being wasted in unproductive work.

At a discussion on plan formulation and local needs held in Hattisudhe on Saturday in the presence of Dr. Ganga Dutta Nepal, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission of Bagmati Province, local representatives and employees participating in the discussion said that social development programmes are necessary along with infrastructure plans. 

In the programme organised by the Bakaiya Rural Municipality in Makawanpur district, people's representatives said that the problems are due to the limited resources of the municipality and that they are facing problems such as shortage of teachers, drinking water, irrigation, health and other problems.

On the occasion, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission of Bagmati Province Nepal said that the provincial government is preparing to introduce a planning bank.

Stating that the final preparations for the implementation of the planning bank are underway, he said that once the planning bank is in place, the trend of making plans in a haste and with connection will end.

He said that while constructing roads haphazardly, the provincial government faced flood and landslide disaster last September and said that the provincial government is currently working to increase the scope and bases of revenue.

Chairperson of Bakaiya Rural Municipality Dharmaraj Lamichhane said that the rural municipality is working by prioritising agriculture and an industrial village has been brought into operation accordingly.

He stressed the need of coordination between the federal and provincial ministries of irrigation, drinking water, infrastructure and agriculture while preparing plans and programmes.

He said that a hostel for orphaned children is necessary.

Vice Chair of the rural municipality Bhakta Bahadur Khatri said that problems cropped up in implementation when plans are based on connection rather than local needs.

He said that work should now be done by prioritising social development along with infrastructure development. 

Chief Administrative Officer of the rural municipality Mahesh Shrestha said that problems have arisen recently when the province invested in the drinking water scheme without a detailed study.

Ward Chairman of Bakaiya Rural Municipality-11 Gopal Nyasur said that although the contract has been awarded for the road connecting Kantipath via Gothdamar, work has not started.

He said that the rural municipality is working towards creating employment by giving priority to agriculture.

Ward Chairman of Ward No. 2, Bishwaraj Syangtan, stressed the need to construct hostels in remote settlements, saying that people still have to travel through another district to reach the municipality.

Similarly, Ward Chairman of Ward No. 5, Laxmi Zimba, said that there is a lack of infrastructure in schools along with the problem of road network and said that the trend of selecting projects based on access should come to an end.