KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development of Koshi Province and its affiliated offices have created 784 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) to date. However, many of these reports have not been implemented, raising concerns over the misuse of state funds.
Despite millions of rupees being spent on these reports, many projects remain only on paper.
Out of the 784 DPRs created, less than half, 372, have been put into action. Records for 104 DPRs are missing from government files, with the Urban Development and Building Office in Dhankuta being a notable example, where 104 DPRs were created but their records have disappeared.
According to Physical Infrastructure Minister Bhupendra Rai, out of 50 DPRs created by the Ministry, 31 have not been implemented.
The Rural Road Network Improvement Project has only implemented 5 out of 26 DPRs, while other offices like the Infrastructure Development Office in Bhojpur have successfully implemented most of their reports.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development has spent an estimated Rs 32.8 million on 49 DPRs alone. Earlier reports revealed that multiple DPRs were handed over to the same consultancy, raising concerns about irregularities and potential corruption in the process.
There have also been allegations that officials from the Chief Minister’s and Minister’s secretariats have awarded DPR construction work to companies linked to them or their close associates.
Minister Rai has stated that moving forward, the government will only approve DPRs for projects that are genuinely needed and will be implemented.
“We will stop creating DPRs for projects that will never be executed,” he said, adding that the Ministry will be more careful in ensuring that only necessary projects are funded.
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