LGCDP helpful to reach out to target beneficiaries

Lalitpur / Dec 1: The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) officials have said the Local Governance and Community Development Programme (LGCDP) has been effective in reaching out to the target beneficiaries.

At a meeting of the national advisers’ committee of the LGCDP-second phase organized by the Ministry here on Wednesday, they claimed the programme has increased the access of citizens of lower rung to planning and implementation.

Secretary at MoFALD Kedar Bahadur Adhikari said the LGCDP implementation has helped reach out government programme to grassroots level. “Women empowerment and child-friendly local governance are among other key achievements of LGCDP implementation”, he said.

He further noted that the new Constitution has specified local body as a medium for the decentralization of power.

Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Dr. Jörg Frieden has said that the programme has gained success in different areas of women and children. “With LGCDP in place, these groups have increased access to the budget and entitlements designated for them”.

He expressed the confidence that the holding of timely local election would increase the outcomes in the sector.

On the occasion, National Project Director of the programme Joint-Secretary Reshmi Raj Pandey claimed that now the secretaries have reached to around 90 per cent of total VDCs.

Project Manager Chhabi Rijal said that the local bodies are becoming more accountable through the practice of social accountability tools such as public hearing in community through LGCDP.

Main consultant of the project Pitambar Sharma said the LGCDP has been spectacular in addressing transition of the country. RSS