KATHMANDU, Mar 1: The government has extended the deadline to study the report prepared by the local level restructuring commission (LLRC) for the second time after a taskforce formed to review the report failed to give concrete suggestions to the government within the seven-day extension given to it on February 21. 

A cabinet meeting on Tuesday decided to extend the deadline of the taskforce by three days after the earlier extension expired on Monday without reviewing the report.

The government had formed the taskforce led by a minister on February 2 almost a month after the report was prepared and had initially given it 15 days' time to review the report. Since the government was not satisfied with the suggestion given by the taskforce led by Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Hitraj Pandey, the deadline was extended twice.

 “The cabinet meeting has decided to extend the deadline again to review the report,” informed Health Minister Gagan Thapa after the cabinet meeting at Singha Durbar. 

The taskforce is assigned to study the report and address the grievances of the Madhes-based parties regarding the new federal set-up. In this regard, the taskforce was asked to give suggestions to the government for making revision in the report prepared by LLRC about the numbers and boundaries of local units under the federal set-up. 

Earlier, the taskforce had submitted a report to the cabinet and recommended increasing the number of local bodies on the basis of population.

Though the LLRC has already fixed the numbers and boundaries of the local units across the country, its report has been strongly opposed by Madhes-based political parties mainly in the eight districts of Province 2. Also, some proposed units are under dispute in a few hill districts including Nuwakot, Khotang and Bajhang.

The LLRC had submitted its report to the government on January 6 recommending 719 village and municipal councils under the federal set-up which will replace the existing 217 municipalities and 3,117 village development committees after the implementation of the report.

Meanwhile, the cabinet meeting also decided to establish a cancer hospital in Banke in memory of late prime minister Sushil Koirala. The Council of Ministers decided to establish Sushil Koirala Prakhar Cancer Hospital at Khajura in Banke district. 

"The meeting of the Council of Ministers today decided to acquire a piece of land owned by Paropakar Mission, an organization in Banke district, and establish Sushil Koirala Prakhar Cancer Hospital at Khajura, near Nepalgunj," said minister Thapa.

The cabinet meeting also decided to accept a loan of Rs 15 billion from the World Bank for the reform of the health sector.

 
• local level restructuring commission
 
• taskforce