Sudurpaschim Province Government Approves Rs 15.56 Billion in Multi-Year Infrastructure Projects

Dhangadhi. The Sudurpaschim Province government has moved forward with multi-year contract processes for projects worth billions under infrastructure. According to the Province's Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, the total financial liability of currently operating and newly approved multi-year projects has reached Rs 15.56 billion. Information Officer Kalpana Pant of the Ministry stated that in the current fiscal year 2080/81 alone, source assurance and source consent have been provided to take 71 new projects into multi-year contract. The total estimated cost of these new projects alone is Rs 5.15 billion. The Ministry of Economic Affairs recently gave consent for multi-year contracts for 71 projects to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure. Out of the 72 projects initially proposed, only 71 received approval. Rs 921.5 million has been allocated for these projects in the current fiscal year, with the remaining amount to be paid within the next three fiscal years, for which sources have been ensured. The updated liability for all multi-year projects in the province has now reached Rs 15.56 billion. Information Officer Pant informed that this is the largest financial burden created in the infrastructure sector in the history of Sudurpaschim Province. According to her, the approved 71 new projects include road, motorable bridge, irrigation, and urban development plans. Among these, road and bridge projects are the most numerous. According to the ministry's data, the offices with the highest liabilities are the Physical Infrastructure Development Offices in Kanchanpur, Kailali, Dadeldhura, and Achham. In Kanchanpur, the Kallupur-Beldori road section (Rs 40 million), various culvert constructions in Dodhara Chandani, and various road and bridge projects in Shuklaফাटा have been put under multi-year contracts. Similarly, Information Officer Pant informed that millions in budget have been ensured for the Attariya-Dimuwa road in Kailali, various rural roads in Kailari Rural Municipality, and strategic roads within Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City. She also stated that big projects have been prioritized in the hilly districts. The Deulinna-Jogbuda road with a cost of Rs 350 million in Dadeldhura and the Satbanjh-Sribhavar-Haat-Darcula road with Rs 71.5 million in Baitadi are the major multi-year plans for this year. In Achham, the Chaukhutte-Chaurpati road and motorable bridges in Bajura have entered the construction phase. With new projects being added, completing old and incomplete projects appears challenging for the ministry. According to Information Officer Pant, some projects started in fiscal year 2074/75 are still in progress or incomplete. According to the ministry's progress report, the physical progress of the Krishnasen Marg in Kailali is only 43 percent, while some other projects, despite achieving 80 percent progress, are awaiting final payment. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has set some strict conditions while giving consent for a large number of multi-year contracts. The ministry has stipulated that if the liability exceeds the allocated budget in the current year, it will not provide additional funds. Similarly, the responsibility for managing the liabilities of the upcoming fiscal years lies with the respective ministry within its budget limits. Furthermore, it has been stipulated that all contracts must be awarded through the competitive e-bidding method only, and source consent will be established only after the agreement is signed. The ministry claims that there are no outstanding payments to construction entrepreneurs. 'Payments that were stopped due to budget constraints, for work completed up to the last fiscal year, are now being processed regularly,' said Information Officer Pant. Currently, the physical and financial progress of all multi-year projects is being monitored through an online system. While the addition of 71 new multi-year projects in Sudurpaschim Province is positive from a development perspective, managing the total liability of Rs 15.56 billion is considered very challenging by some. According to Dhangadhi local Vivek Chaudhary, completing these projects on time amidst limited budgets and unlimited plans will be the main test of the province government's capability. 'Development will only happen if old incomplete projects are completed and new ones are expedited; otherwise, adding plans will not bring about significant change,' he said.