Provincial, local governments will be assigned projects costing less than Rs 30m: PM Dahal

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has stated that the federal government will directly assign small projects, costing less than Rs 30 million, to local and provincial governments as a measure to strengthen federalism.

At the inauguration of the newly-built administrative building of Darma Rural Municipality in Salyan district today, PM Dahal stated that the current government is intensifying federalism by considering policy amendments and budget schedule adjustments for the upcoming fiscal year.

He clarified that the government has decided to eliminate project duplication and directly assign small projects, costing less than Rs 30 million, to provincial or local governments.

He expressed confidence that these measures would further strengthen the federal democratic republican system. Asserting that the implementation of federalism has been a top priority since he assumed the government's leadership for the third time, PM Dahal shared that two significant decisions have been made in meetings convened by the National Coordination Council.

He argued that if local governments could effectively implement federalism, significant progress could be made in areas of strategic importance and service delivery, such as the protection of natural resources, multifaceted resource mobilisation, empowerment of the rural economy, and improvement in social indicators, among others.

Prime Minister Dahal expressed his belief that the appropriate exercise of exclusive and concurrent rights by all three tiers of government would contribute qualitatively to the revitalisation of the rural economy and the development of the national economy.

On a different note, he urged local governments and people's representatives to work towards fostering citizens' affinity and sense of belonging to the State, arguing that the government's image is established among ordinary citizens by the agility and responsiveness of public service delivery.

The Prime Minister pledged to initiate necessary measures for tarmacking the road connecting Rolpa, Salyan, Western Rukum, Jajarkot, Humla, and Rara Lake in Mugu district. Furthermore, he informed that a special programme will be rolled out by declaring Darma as a milk pocket area through a Dairy Cooperative.

He assured that the federal government would pay special attention to the construction of shelters for earthquake victims in Jajarkot, electrification, modernisation and commercialisation of agriculture and animal husbandry, ensuring basic healthcare services, and fiscal equalisation grants, among others.

He expressed hope that once the Act related to Truth and Reconciliation is issued, it will be easier to permanently resolve the real estate-related issues registered by the people in Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, and Jajarkot districts.

PM Dahal also vowed that issues relating to honouring conflict victims, compensation to conflict victims and their families, and education for their children, among others, will be duly addressed.

He expressed his gratitude towards Salyan district for its qualitative contribution to transformative movements in the country, and to Darma Rural Municipality for its solidarity in favour of transformative policies and leadership.

(With inputs from RSS)