PM Dahal pledges to give priority to completion of significant projects

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has pledged to accord due priorities to the completion of projects of national pride and other significant projects on time. As he said, upcoming policies and programmes and the budget will give sufficient priorities to such projects.

During his virtual inspection to the Sikta Irrigation Project and the Mahakali Irrigation Project (third phase) from an action room based in the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers today, the Prime Minister said this.

“The absence of substantive prioritization of annual budget has adversely affected the projects of nation pride and other important ones. The budgetary constraint issue has posed challenges for such projects to maintain quality and led to unsatisfactory physical and fiscal progress,” he said on the occasion.

Such situation will result in the extended deadline of project and the rise in project cost and this issue must be addressed, according to the Prime Minister.

He assured that the government will address policy and budgetary constraint issues in the implementation of the projects, directing project chiefs for effective deliveries.

“The government is here to sort out policy and budget problems. You work effectively in the field, preventing the situation demanding the extension of projects’ deadlines and more financial responsibilities. Deliver considering these matters seriously time and again,” he directed project chiefs.

At the same programme, Minster for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basent said improvements in economy has eased the atmosphere to pay construction companies and the physical and fiscal progress of projects will take a pace ahead.

Accompanying the Prime Minister and the Energy Minister during the monitoring of the Action Room were Government Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal, Ministry’s secretary towards water resources and irrigation Sushil Chandra Tiwari, and secretaries at the Office of the Prime Minister, Ek Narayan Aryal and Maniram Gelal, among other officials.

Project will make headway provided there is no dearth of resources

Chief of the Sikta Irrigation Project, Devraj Niraula, said the project has not been able to make an encouraging progress due to the limitation of the financial sources. He added that the project will make headway if there is no resource constraint.

Stating that the project brought with the objective of expanding irrigation in Banke district will irrigate 42,766 hectares land, the Project Chief Niraula said the financial progress of the project is 40 percent and sources have to be managed for providing compensation for the land acquired for the project.

Niraula further added that works are being carried out simultaneously in the eastern and western canals and the financial liability has been adding up as the project period prolongs. He shared that they are going to carry out the works by preparing a calendar to conclude the construction within the stipulated time.

According to him, towards the achievements of the project include the completion of the 317 metres long barrage along with the bridge, the completion of the 45.25-kilometre-long west main canal, completion of the construction of 37.675 ‘chainage’ of the eastern main canal and about 55 percent of the construction has been completed towards the western branches of the canal.

Niraula asserted that the construction of the project would be expedited in the coming days.