BAJHANG, Jan 30: Locals of many VDCs in Bajhang district are unaware about the budget earmarked for their welfare as the authorities do not make public announcement about it.
As per the law, the secretary of a VDC is responsible for making public announcement of the budget with public participation for formulating plans for its utilization. But it seems like the secretaries of many VDCs in the district don't find it important to make the locals aware about the budget.
Dhanam Rokaya of Majhigaun said that he never knew that the government allots a fair amount of budget for the VDC. “I have spent 35 years of my life in this village but I have never heard about the distribution of budget and public security allowances nor have I ever seen anyone receiving it,” Rokaya said.
Kalpana Aagra of Patadebal said, “I have spent 50 long years of my life struggling for existence but have not received a single penny from the VDC.” She informed that many women in the VDC have no idea about the budget and allowances entitled for their welfare.
Her husband died seven years ago and since then she has toiled day and night to feed her family of five. “Even after so many years of his death I have not yet received the allowance for single woman, not even once,” she lamented.
Many villagers accuse the secretaries and the higher-ups for misusing the government budget. “Even though the VDC office is always occupied by people, we don't know what they do,” said Man Bahadur Bhandar of Banjh. “They don't make announcements nor have we ever heard them formulating development plans in the village. So, it's clear that the budget goes to the wrong hands,” he added. He also informed that the locals are not even allowed to enter the office premises.
The Government of Nepal had introduced a working method according to which all government bodies must make people aware about their services, facilities and plans and should also inform them about the budget allocation in any particular project.
Ward Chiefs in dark about budget allocated for them
