Kathmandu, November 22: The development construction projects run with the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in various places of the country are found falling short of the progress as per the target. Report of target set for 2019 not being fulfilled has been presented in the review meeting held recently.
The progress of projects operated with ADB’s loan assistance was reviewed in the meeting. “The statistics show that only 54 percent has been contracted and 55 percent of the amount been released. This indicates we are missing the target somewhere. So, all sides should together do away with the obstacles in meeting the target,” the meeting co-chair Finance Secretary Sishir Dhungana said referring to the progress until October 1 of projects run with ADB loan.
Urging all the agencies implementing the projects to sincerely fulfill their responsibility, Finance Secretary Dhungana committed that the Ministry of Finance would support in carrying out the works related to the projects in a speedy manner. Another co-chair of the meeting, ADB Country Director for Nepal, Mukhtor Khamudkhanov said there was no option than to commit to work towards attaining the set annual target by learning from the past experience and hurdles.
Referring to the ‘Nepal Partnership Strategy’ for the next four years that the ADB recently launched in close contact with the Government of Nepal, he said the amount of annual assistance has been significantly increased in the strategy. ADB manager Rudy Van Dell, presenting the detailed report on the projects operated with ADB’s loan assistance, said that the progress of some projects was not found to be satisfactory due to policy-related and technical problems.
The meeting is holding discussion focusing on transportation and communication, human and social development, energy, water resources, urban infrastructures and services, agriculture, natural resources, and rural development. RSS
