KATHMANDU, Jan 6: National Planning Commission (NPC) has identified that the local bodies have failed to allocate the budget to all priority sectors proportionately. 

The local bodies have allocated the money for infrastructure projects only, leaving the baskets for agriculture, livestock, women development, and social sector empty, according to the NPC. 

This may have a negative impact in the development process, said the NPC in a press statement issued on Friday after the 41th National Development Action Committee (NDAC) meeting. The underlying reason has been a lack of essential manpower in the budget-making process, the NPC added. 

NPC’s Chair and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba directed the ministries to immediately take steps to provide manpower skilled in data collection, planning and budget allocation. In his address to the NDAC meet, Deuba directed the NPC secretariat to mobilize youth volunteers who have just appeared in masters’ degree exams to municipalities and rural municipalities. 

Likewise, the NDAC meeting also directed the concerned bodies to expedite the works of reconstruction including the heritage sites, and monitor the progress of priority projects such as Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, Melamchi Hydropower Project, Bheri Babai Diversion, and Pokhara Airport projects.

 
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