As Covid-19 continues to spread, a section of unscrupulous authorities and people’s representatives of the Balimalika Municipality of Bajura are off to satisfying their gluttony despite instruction from the Ministry of Finance that no irregularity will be accepted. 

Nimendra Shahi: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Amid stark criticism from several quarters of the federal and provincial governments for failing to execute its commitments, 11 local level governments from Khotang to Kalikot have done exemplary work to prove that ‘local governments are more efficient and competent during crises’.

Shiva Hari Ghimire: Centre for In Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Western Nepal may be seeing spike in COVID-19 as returnees from India head home without tests

Ramu Sapkota: Centre For Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Beneficiaries butcher goats and pigs they received as part of the grant-in-aid program as authorities look away.

Aas Gurung: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

All three levels of government have been wasting taxpayers’ hard-earned money by earmarking over Rs 2.5 billion to erect useless view towers from the state coffer. The budget should have been, instead, used to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic at a time when the country lacks proper health care facilities, among others.

BP Anmol: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal 

A dead man is purported to have received the relief package even as over 200 destitute families returned home empty-handed thanks to the monopoly of elected representatives.  

Shrawan Kumar Dev: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

The Belaka Municipality in Nepal’s eastern Udaypur district, once struggling to get basic facilities, has set a perfect example with inspiring works and initiatives in all sectors, including education, agriculture, and health. The municipality has inspiring stories by showing how people and their representatives can work together to ensure sustainable livelihood for people.

Gopal Dahal: Center for Investigative Journalism- Nepal

Budgets allocated by local governments to support socially and culturally disadvantaged women, Dalits, persons with disabilities and other target groups remain unspent as elected representatives fail to come up with contingency plans.

Bidya Rai: Centre for Investigative Journalism, Nepal

Over 282 Sal trees, 204 electricity poles and two transformers dot the 50 km road sections completed in the first phase last year. The blunder persists in the second phase as government agencies pass the buck to each other. 

Janak Bista: Centre for Investigative Journalism, Nepal

In the projects totaling worth over Rs 70 million, Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan City hired bulldozers, rollers and excavators from municipal engineer Ramdhan Shrestha’s company. Since competition was ruled out, the construction cost rose exponentially.

Devendra Basnet : Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

In what has come as an exhilarating move to many, a total of 40 child marriages were averted with the intervention of elected local representatives in the last two years in some districts of Province-2.

Surendra Kamati : Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

12 local level governments of Banke and Bardiya have been impertinent to pay more than Rs 140 million dues they owe for drinking water and electricity.

Prem Bishowkarma: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

In past two fiscal years, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has disbursed a total of Rs 6.8 million in the name of medical and treatment expenditure

Himal Lamsal: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Women ward chairpersons, who number 53 across the country, are facing bigger and different troubles compared to their male counterparts. One woman ward chairperson says: “When we demand budget, we are perceived to be complaining. When male ward chairmen ask for funds, it’s believed to be their right. That’s the difference.”

Parbat Portel : Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

A total of 6,000 complaints have been filed at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority against local levels in one fiscal year – an indication of the growing tendency of non-transparent expenditure, sub-standard works and gross misappropriation of funds

Rameshwar Bohara: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Three elected officials of Kathmandu are leading a campaign to build parks by reclaiming public land from encroachers.

Himal Lamsal: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Five administrative chiefs of local governments who commute from home in Kathmandu Valley mark their presence in the register even for absent days. The irregularities of the five officers who have put the e-attendance system out of order.

Shivahari Ghimire : Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

The law tasks deputy chief of the local government with monitoring plans and programmes. But many elected officials are unaware of their role in the two-and-a-half years of their tenure.

Laxmi Basnet : Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Local levels are found to have spent the revenue collected from the people. Instead of depositing it in the banks within the stipulated timeframe, they are found to have misusing the amount for the personal benefit.

Bharat Pandey: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Gandaki Province and Province-5 have been engaged in squandering over Rs 50 million by organizing trivial events in the name of Visit Year in the current fiscal year. The Visit Year campaign — announced in haste — has been limited to publicity campaign sans working on infrastructure development.

Mukesh Pokharel: Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal