The MoFALD has sought necessary budget from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to provide all new municipalities with at least one fire engine by the end of next fiscal year as per the directives issued by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Prakash Man Singh.
"Of the total 72 municipalities declared in the first phase, 24 municipalities have already received fire engines. The ministry has recently released budget for fire engines to additional nine municipalities within this fiscal year," Minister Singh's Press Coordinator U P Lamichhane told Republica.
According to Lamichhane, the new municipalities to receive the budget for fire engines include Sankharapur municipality in Sankhu, Gokarneshwar municipality in Jorpati, Dakchhinkaali municipality and Budhanilakantha municipality in Kathmandu, Suryabinayak municipality in Bhaktapur, Mahalaxmi municipality in Lalitpur, Madi municipality in Chitwan, Tarakeshwar municipality in Kathmandu and Mahamanjushree municipality in Nagarkot.
The MoFALD had declared 72 new municipalities in the first phase and another 61 new municipalities in the second phase. "While 33 municipalities will get fire engines by the end of the this fiscal year, all the remaining 109 municipalities will get fire engines by the end of next fiscal year. The finance ministry has positively responded to the request," said Lamichhane.
As per the directives of the Deputy Prime Minister Singh, the MoFALD has also made necessary preparations to start a Fire Control Division within the ministry to help take effective preemptive measures to avoid fire incidents which have been causing huge loss of properties in different parts of the country.
According to Lamichhane, the MoFALD is also making necessary preparations to declare additional six new municipalities.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Singh has directed Executive Officer of Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Station of Metro FM to come up with concrete operation plan of the FM radio within the next seven days. Singh issued the directives keeping in response to complaints that the FM Station had failed to live up to expectations.
Related story
Kathmandu metropolis buys three fire engines
