--By TC Correspondent

 

The government has set up a focal point at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for the Projects of National Pride. The aim behind the government move is to expedite the works of the ambitious projects.

 

“The focal point for the Projects of National Pride has been set up at the CIAA to monitor the progress of these projects,” CIAA’s technical expert Yogendra Kumar Rai told The Corporate. According to Rai, the chief of the focal point, which was constituted little more than two weeks ago, has started collecting information regarding all Projects of National Pride.

 

“The task of the focal point is not to investigate but to expedite the works of these crucial projects,” Rai said adding that the focal point would try to find a solution to the problems faced by the Projects of National Pride.

 

Some of the most important infrastructure projects were announced as the Projects of National Pride when Dr Baburam Bhattarai was the prime minister. A booklet titled ‘Economic Development and Prosperity’ published by the Ministry of Finance back then had listed 17 projects as the Projects of National Pride. Four new projects have been added to the list, taking the number of such projects to 21.

 

The focal point at the CIAA is currently studying the files of the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP), one of the Projects of National Pride, according to Sarojman Shakya, senior divisional engineer at CIAA. Started nearly 15 years ago, the project was targeted to complete in the current fiscal year. However, there is no possibility of the project, which has faced several hurdles so far, to complete in the current fiscal year.