Six Municipalities Sign 23-Point Agreement for Inter-Municipal Coordination and Cooperation

Pokhara. Neighboring municipalities have agreed to develop physical infrastructure and other structures by centering Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality of Gorkha. Six local levels bordering Gorkha, Tanahu, and Chitwan have signed a memorandum of understanding for inter-municipal coordination and cooperation for development construction, service delivery, and resolution of common problems.

In the meeting held on Thursday, the chiefs and representatives of Gorkha Municipality, Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality, Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality, Gandaki Rural Municipality, Ichhakamana Rural Municipality of Chitwan, and Aabukhairani Rural Municipality of Tanahu signed a 23-point memorandum of understanding. They have emphasized some main roads.

The meeting decided to jointly pursue the federal and provincial governments to develop the Laxmibazar-Rampur-Benigaun-Siurenitara road section and the Benighat-Arughat-Larke road as strategic roads. Similarly, they have agreed to coordinate for the construction of a motorable bridge over the Trishuli River connecting various municipalities and to establish a joint laboratory to check the quality of construction work. 

A decision has been made to preserve and promote the trekking route from Manakamana-Lakhan Thapa Fort-Gorkha Durbar and to create an integrated tourist circuit by connecting lakes, religious sites, and tourist areas located in neighboring municipalities. The joint meeting has agreed to exchange specialist health services by centering Aabukhairani and Gorkha Hospital.

The municipalities have agreed to upgrade technical schools in each municipality and ensure free education and technical training access for students from neighboring municipalities, as well as to exchange best practices for revenue administration, digital systems, disaster management, and institutional capacity building. A decision has also been made to hold regular dialogues to resolve public service and administrative problems within the municipalities.

The meeting focused on agricultural production and marketing. Their decision is to conduct joint programs for the marketing of local products, investment promotion, skill development, and employment generation, and to formulate necessary policies for the management and marketing of local homemade liquor and indigenous products by giving them legal recognition. Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality Chairman Ramesh Thapa informed that a decision has been made to jointly use ambulances, fire engines, and technical manpower between municipalities during incidents of fire, natural disasters, and accidents, and to form a common opinion on the sustainable excavation of riverbed materials and waste management.

He said that an understanding has been reached to resolve administrative, development construction, and natural resource utilization problems arising in the border areas of the municipalities based on mutual agreement and study. It is believed that this cooperation centered on Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality will add a new dimension to the development of the border areas of Gorkha, Tanahu, and Chitwan. 'Our conclusion is that development is possible only by working together now. The understanding reached in the meeting has paved the way for jointly prioritizing small and large development projects and maximizing the use of resources and means,' he said. The memorandum of understanding was signed by the chiefs-chairpersons, deputy chiefs-vice chairpersons, and chief administrative officers of the respective municipalities. Chief Administrative Officer Baburam Magar informed that the chief and deputy chief of the District Coordination Committee, Gorkha, also expressed solidarity at the program.