PM Office takes initiative for fixing problems of national priority road projects

Kathmandu, April 29: A discussion was held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) with an on-site study report on the presence of concerned ministries' secretaries for fixing problems of national priority road projects.     

In the meeting held at Singha Durbar on the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's Economic Advisor Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada and employees of the private secretariat, a presentation was made on the report received from the on-site monitoring of various national priority road projects under construction.     

During the meeting, PM's Private Secretary (Joint Secretary) Binod Bahadur Kunwar presented the ground realities of Kakadbhitta-Lokhi road, Kanchanpur-Kamala, Kamala-Pathlaiya, Narayangadh-Butwal and Butwal-Gorusinge road section, Nagdhunga-Naubise-Mugling, Mugling-Pokhara road section as well as Nagdhunga and Siddhababa

CDE at the Prime Minister's Office, Mohdatta Bhatta provided recommendations to solve the issues seen in the projects.     

It has been found that coordinated working style is necessary to improve the project delays due to on-site drinking water, drainage, tree felling, power pole transfer and optical fiber management.     

The meeting concluded that the local levels, including stones, mud and sand of private land, would make necessary arrangements to provide the construction materials including stones, mud and sand of private land within 15 days by collecting revenue as per the prevailing law.     

Similarly, each local level has to make necessary arrangements to make local construction materials easily available to the projects of national priority, keeping in mind the need to manage the contract of local construction materials within three months of the start of the financial year.     

The PM's private secretariat has been continuously following and facilitating the development projects across the country for the past few months.     

The meeting concluded that necessary arrangement would be made to remove the electricity poles of the Nepal Electricity Authority within 15 days. Likewise, the meeting decided to put in place arrangement for the local governments to provide the construction materials including stones, mud and sand of private land within 15 days by collecting revenue as per the prevailing law.     

Likewise, each local level will make necessary arrangements to provide local construction materials easily in projects of national priority, keeping in mind the need to manage the contract of local construction materials within three months of the start of the fiscal year.     

It has also been suggested that the Ministry of Forest and Environment should put forward the process for reviewing the jurisdiction of environmental impact assessment preparation and approval of the projects.     

Likewise, it has been recommended to form an empowered high-level coordination committee at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to facilitate immediately on the issues of obstruction, monitoring and progress seen in the projects and to make the coordination of the bodies effective.     

On the occasion, Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Gokarna Mani Duwadi said     

the ministry was always ready to solve the problems related to law and order in the project sites.     

Secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Rabi Lal Pantha, opined that the Development Act should be issued for the use and management of river-borne natural resources at the local level.     

Similarly, Forest and Environment Secretary Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra stressed the need for clarity on forest and environment related laws and jurisdictions.(RSS)