Concerns about province’s relevance be answered through actions: CM Pandey

Gandaki, Dec 2: Chief Minister of Gandaki Province Surendra Raj Pandey has asserted that the concerns raised about the relevance of provincial structure should be addressed through tangible works.

CM Pandey said so at a review meeting organized by the provincial Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management in Pokhara on Monday to review the performance of the provincial government and its subordinate agencies. Furthermore, Pandey urged the heads of the subordinate agencies to accelerate development efforts by prioritizing quality.

“The questions raised over the province should be answered by the provincial government, ministries, and subordinate agencies through effective works.” He viewed that the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management and its subordinate agencies bear a greater responsibility to deliver effectively since, he added, this ministry had been allocated a significant portion of the provincial government’s budget.

This fiscal year, 38 percent of the province’s total budget has been allocated to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management, he unveiled. During the meeting, it was shared that the provincial government has spent over Rs 75 billion for the development and expansion of physical infrastructures since the establishment of the government.

During this period, 696 km of gravel road were constructed, 901 km were blacktopped, and 103 bridges were built; it was shared. CM Pandey claimed that citizens had availed themselves of services conveniently due to the effective delivery of the provincial government.

“The development works have got an impetus since the establishment of the province.” He, however, highlighted the challenges in accomplishing ongoing projects due to budget cuts from the federal government. According to him, the federal government was yet to grant the Gandaki Province government around Rs 2 billion of the grant pledged last fiscal year.

“The provincial government still carries a liability of around Rs 3 billion due to delayed federal grants,” he informed. Budget cuts from the federal government after the selection of projects in the province had further increased the liability of the provincial government, he rued. —RSS