'Ministry doesn't even have maps of the ilakas'
KATHMANDU, Oct 17: Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi has asked the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) to furnish within three days all particulars related to the ilakas sought by the commission formed to restructure local bodies.
Earlier, the commission had complained that it was facing difficulties expediting the task of restructuring local units under the federal system, using the previous areas (ilakas) as one basis. It fingered non-cooperation by the ministry as an underlying reason.
Chief Secretary Subedi on Sunday held a meeting with officials of the ministry and the commission and asked the ministry to furnish the commission within three days all the information it seeks. He has asked the ministry to furnish ward-wise demographic information on all the municipalities, village development committees and ilakas to the commission and to do so within three days.
Balananda Poudel, chairman of the commission, said the commission has written to the ministry thrice, seeking all geographical and demographic particulars on the ilakas.
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On October 6, the government decided to add to the terms of reference of the commission, requiring it to use the ilakas as one basis for local restructuring.
"The ministry does not even have the maps of the ilakas, let alone any updated geographical and demographic particulars. We are really amazed to learn this. How can we restructure the local units using the ilakas as a basis when we do not even have detailed information about them," he said.
Each ilaka comprises four to five VDCs, making for over 900 ilakas in the country.
He said he has no hope that the ministry will furnish the commission reliable data on the ilakas within the next three days.
"We will start the restructuring task with whatever information we have if the ministry fails to furnish additional details by the next three days, " Chairman Poudel said, adding, " But let me make it clear we may not be able to submit our report to the government by mid-November as requested by the prime minister as we will have to collect all the details on our own if the ministry fails to deliver."
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