CHITWAN, Feb 22: Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been declared the best metropolis in performance evaluation. Bharatpur has come first among six metropolitan cities across the country. 

Bharatpur Metropolitan City came out first in the evaluation conducted by the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission (NNRFC) for the previous fiscal year 2022/23. The evaluation was carried out on the basis of 17 indicators for the purpose of the financial equalization grant to be provided by the federal government to the province and local levels in the new fiscal year 2024/25.

The expenses incurred by the Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the irregularities pointed out by the audit, the use of the local consolidated fund management system, periodic planning and division of revenue are assessed. Local tax collection, approval on budget within the time etc are other ground for evaluation.

Based on the evaluation, a lump sum equalization grant is provided to the local level. The NNRFC evaluates and publishes the results especially in connection with the accounting system and financial system. 

Head of the Financial Administration Division of the Bharatpur metropolis, Jagannath Aryal, said that Bharatpur has scored 56.29 percent according to the information given by the NNRFC.

Likewise, Kathmandu Metropolitan City got 39.02, Birgunj received 33.49, Biratnagar got 32.85, Lalitpur received 25.18 and Pokhara received 20.74 percent of marks in the evaluation.