Officials demand bribe to release budget: Mothers group

RAUTAHAT, July 13: A mothers group has alleged that the budget of Rs 4.5 million allocated for the implementation of Sunaula Hazar Din, which means Golden Thousand Days, is set to lapse due to negligence of District Development Committee (DDC), Rautahat.

Sunaula Hazar Din is a project that aims to instill attitudes and practices known to improve nutritional outcomes in women of reproductive age and children under the age of two.


As the ongoing fiscal year nears it end, the DDC has refused to release 70 percent of the total budget promised in second and last installments to mothers groups assigned to implement the project.

The beneficiaries of the project are pregnant women, from 270 days of the conception, and children up to two years. The project aims to improve maternal health and fight childhood under nutrition.

The project is targeted at pregnant women and children from disadvantaged and marginalized communities.

Sunaula Hazar Din, with 60 percent of the budget from World Bank and 40 percent from Nepal Government, is being implemented in 12 VDCs of Rautahat district since the last two years.

Although the project was launched in the 12 VDCs with high maternal and child mortality rates, the target population hasn't benefited due lack of proper implementation in want of funds.

A mothers group assigned to implement the project alleged that DDC officials and VDC secretaries delay budget release if they are denied commissions.

Rinki Kumari Thakur, a woman of Gamhariya Parsa VDC, said Subhash Thakur, information officer at the DDC and focal person for the project, had sought Rs 10,000 in commission for releasing the budget.

"The budget for our project was withheld after we turned down the DDC officer's demand for commission," said Karmon Nesha.

Although our group carried out all project activities, the DDC has refused to release the fund, claimed Nesha. "The DDC officials do not stop funds for other groups who agree to provide the commission they demand," she added.

The mothers groups who have been deprived of budget have also staged protest at the DDC Office in Gaur.

However, Thakur, the project focal person, refuted all allegations made by the agitating women.

Instead, he sought to cast the blame on VDC secretaries. A VDC has a total of 18 groups and each VDC is allocated Rs 5.4 million rupees.

Related story

Expecting mothers and new mothers found receiving less counseli...