PM discusses progress of ‘national pride projects’ with ministry officials

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today held discussions with officials of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport on the progress of the national pride projects.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala, Ministry Secretary Keshav Sharma, various departmental heads and the joint-secretaries of the Ministry were present in the consultation held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

PM Dahal said on the occasion that he has been making regular monitoring of the projects of national pride and directed the officials concerned to make provision of carrying out works making the project chiefs themselves responsible in case of increase in the project cost.

He acquired information from the Ministry officials on the status of progress of the North-South (Koshi Corridor) Khandbari-Kimathanka Road Project, the Kaligandaki Corridor and the Karnali Corridor Road projects.

Secretary Sharma informed that the physical progress of the Koshi Corridor Project was 32 percent and its financial progress was also 32 percent. He said the road construction works were making progress.

According to Secretary Sharma, the North-South (Kaligandaki Corridor) has reported 63 percent physical progress and 55.7 percent economic progress. However, the expected progress could not be achieved due to the limitation of resource management.

He informed the PM that the physical and financial progress of the North-South) Karnali Corridor) Road Project was satisfactory.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Dahal said that although the progress achieved after the inception of the republic is encouraging as compared to the physical and humanitarian progress made in the 250 years before this, the reality about this should be communicated to the general public, according to the PM’s Private Secretariat.

“Outstanding works have been carried out in terms of physical and humanitarian development over the last 15 years, but a sense of despondency is seen as these achievements could not be publicized to the people in the correct way. We should provide information to the people that so much work has been carried out, they should be educated in the right manner,” the PM said.

He directed Minister Jwala to accord high priority to works of the development projects and to create an environment where the project chiefs work staying right at the project sites.

The PM said, “We should all give high priority to works of development projects. The cost of the projects has been increasing as the government, the ministry and the projects have not carried out the stipulated works within the set time. So, I urge you all to seriously work towards ending such an anomaly.”