The policy and program unveiled by the government on Wednesday for the new fiscal year 2015-16 states that the election to the local bodies which could not take place for a long time will be held within the new fiscal year.President Dr Ram Baran Yadav read out the policy and program of the government at the meeting of Legislature-Parliament on Wednesday.
However, it is not the first time that the government pledged to hold the local elections. Also in the policy and program for this fiscal year, the government had made a similar pledge to hold the local elections within the current fiscal year. However, no efforts were made in this regard.
The last local elections were held in 1997.
Last month, the development committee of parliament had also directed the government to make necessary preparations and fix the date for local elections immediately citing that absence of elected representatives at the local level is likely to affect reconstruction and rehabilitation work in the aftermath of the earthquake.
The policy and program of the government for the next fiscal year also stated that village development committees will be merged on the basis of population, geography and infrastructure for transforming them into village councils and municipalities.
It also read that the government will provide additional grants to merged VDCs as encouragement and invest the funds to enhance services of related agencies. It stated that the government will prioritize upgrading of rural roads at the local level to make them operational throughout the year.
President Yadav stated that model city development program will be continued in twelve places including at ten places in Pyuthan, Surkhet and along the Mid Hill Highway. "Similarly, A master plan on Smart City will be formulated for the Kathmandu Valley, Lumbini, Nijgadh and other districts that are hard hit by the earthquake. Construction process of earthquake resistant green cities will be started," he added he.
He also stated that risk sensitive Land-Use Plan will be framed and implemented in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the county on the basis of geo-structure, capacity and appropriateness to ensure safe and sustainable settlement and urban development.
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