Kathmandu. The Ministry of Drinking Water under the Government of Nepal and the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development under the Karnali State Government have signed a cost-sharing agreement under the Drinking Water Sector-wise Good Governance and Infrastructure Cooperation Project.
Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Drinking Water E Ramakant Duwadi and State Secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development Indra Dev Bhatta signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.
Addressing the programme, Minister for Drinking Water Pradeep Yadav said that through this agreement, there is a common commitment to ensure mutual coordination, transparency, accountability and effectiveness in service delivery between the federal and state governments, promote good governance in the drinking water sector within karnali state and to run cost-sharing-based programs for infrastructure development.
“This agreement is an excellent model of coordination and cooperation among the three tiers of government under federalism,” he said. It is also a shared commitment to run cost-sharing-based programs for the promotion of good governance and infrastructure development in the drinking water sector. ”
Minister Yadav also assured that adequate budget would be allocated for drinking water sector in Karnali State. “I have reached remote and remote areas of Karnali state. I have seen the problems of drinking water there with my own eyes. I’ll end the drinking water problem there. Similarly, Minister for Water Resources and Energy Development of Karnali State Government, Bijaya Budha, expressed the belief that the project would achieve great success in the drinking water sector of Karnali State.
“Karnali is very remote and backward in terms of development. I am confident that the cost sharing agreement under the Drinking Water Sector Good Governance and Infrastructure Cooperation Project will now change the face of karnali people in the drinking water sector. ”
The International Development Agency (IDA) and the Government of Nepal have signed a financial agreement on July 13, 2022 to operate the Drinking Water Sector Good Governance and Infrastructure Cooperation Project (hereinafter referred to as the “Project”). The duration of the project is july 15, 2028.
Joint-Secretary at the Ministry E Ramakant Duwadi said that the agreement has been signed between the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Drinking Water and Karnali State Government, Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development to participate in the implementation of the project and to monitor the implementation of the project.
The project will address regional good governance, strengthening institutional capacity and project management, enhancing access to climate-friendly, improved and safe drinking water and sanitation, mitigating climate risks and impacts on drinking water and sanitation infrastructure through integrated water resources management and watershed management.
On behalf of the Government of Nepal, the Ministry of Drinking Water has entrusted the Department of Drinking Water and Sewerage Management with the responsibility of running the programs of Components 1 to 4 to ensure the overall management of the project, including coordination and monitoring of activities under all the mentioned components. Under Component 1, programmes for institutional improvement of the drinking water and sanitation sector will be carried out, while under Component 2, monitoring and implementation assistance will be provided to the participating municipalities to implement the activities of the project through the project implementation units at the municipality level.
According to the agreement, programmes related to mitigation of climate risk and its impacts on drinking water and sanitation infrastructure will be carried out through integrated water resources management and watershed management within birendranagar municipality area under Component 3.
Out of the total $100 million (Rs 13.38 billion) required for the implementation of the project, the government of Nepal will contribute $3.70 million on behalf of the federal government, $10.57 billion from the provincial governments (Karnali province and far-western) and $5.57 million from the six concerned municipalities. It has been set at $70 million.
