Kushma Municipality Ward 13 Paves Road Using Own Budget; Basketball Court Built in Kushma Bazaar

Parbat. Except for general maintenance, improvement, and drain cleaning, most local levels are dependent on federal and provincial governments for the upgrading and blacktopping of rural roads. However, with limited resources and means, by effectively utilizing the budget, the Kholaalankuri of Kushma Municipality-13 here has completed road blacktopping using its own ward budget. According to Ward Chairman of Kushma-13, Tej Prasad Chapagain, about 350 meters of the Dobil-Silmi-Thulipokhari Khola-Karkineta road section has been blacktopped using the ward's own budget. Chapagain said that for the first time in the ward, 350 meters of road from the border of neighboring ward Thulipokhari has been blacktopped. Although the municipality provided a budget ceiling of approximately Rs 7 million to the ward, the road construction plan was blacktopped by spending Rs 3.2 million allocated to various thematic headings. While Kushma Municipality is facing criticism for unnecessary expenses in some places due to its ward-wise budget distribution system, locals say that this ward has done exemplary work by effectively utilizing resources. Ward Chairman Chapagain said that there is a plan to continue the road construction work in the upcoming fiscal year. "Although there are some problems in working at the expected level due to limited budget, we have moved forward by maximizing the available resources," he said. According to him, local levels have the compulsion to work within a limited budget as they do not receive adequate support from the central and provincial governments. Nevertheless, he said that the ward has set a goal to expand more infrastructure in the coming days by prioritizing development construction. Although the road section from the border of Ward No. 12 Thulipokhari to Karkineta, approximately four kilometers, has not been upgraded, the road from Dobil-Silmi-Thulipokhari Khola-Karkineta, which is 14 kilometers long and connects to the district headquarters Kushma, has been blacktopped using the ward's budget, informed Chairman Chapagain. The blacktopping work of approximately three kilometers of road from Thulipokhari to Khola is currently underway. This road is also being used as an alternative route to the Mid-Hilly Highway. Rs 2 Million Spent to Build Basketball Court The first basketball court has been completed in Kushma Bazaar, the district headquarters. The court has been constructed by the Parbat Basketball Association on land owned by the District Sports Development Committee in Badagaun Chaur of Kushma Municipality-5. The association informed that the court was constructed with the help of government and non-governmental organizations, as well as Deusi Bhailo. According to the association's chairman Min Bahadur Pun, it was constructed at a cost of Rs 1.8314 million, excluding labor. Chairman Pun informed that the construction was completed with Rs 600,000 collected from Deusi Bhailo, Rs 500,000 from Kushma Municipality, Rs 150,000 from Modi Rural Municipality, Rs 100,000 from Jaljala Rural Municipality, Rs 50,000 from Paiyu Rural Municipality, and assistance from various charitable organizations and individuals. The Parbat District Basketball Association had started reconstructing the court with money collected from playing Deusi Bhailo during the last Tihar. According to him, Rs 587,986 was collected from Deusi Bhailo. More than Rs 200,000 worth of labor was also contributed for the court construction. Earlier, the Parbat District Basketball Association team became first in Gandaki Province in basketball competitions in 2080 BS. Similarly, it became second in Gandaki Province in 2081 BS. Although no municipality in Parbat had spent on the promotion of basketball before, Jaljala Rural Municipality allocated Rs 100,000 in 2080 BS. Structures such as fiber boards, parapets, and wire mesh have been constructed along with the court. Although this sport has been played in Parbat district for many years, the District Basketball Association was formed in 2079 BS under the chairmanship of Milan Paja. Meanwhile, inaugurating the basketball court, Kushma Municipality Mayor Joshi said that with the increasing attraction towards basketball in recent times, a basketball court is essential. He informed that the municipality provided Rs 500,000 in assistance as the court was deemed necessary.