GORKHA, March 21: Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality started the 'Gaunpalika Adakxya Garibi Niwaran Program' last year to provide employment opportunities to the youth within the village. Under the program, the rural municipality had made working procedure to provide Rs 200,000 to the youths without any interest. The Rural Municipality had collected forms from those interested. Out of 60 applicants, only 14 were eligible for the subsidy.
In the first installment, the rural municipality-provided Rs 100,000 each to all selected applicants. But during inspection, only nine businesses were found eligible for the second installment. According to Ishwori Paneru, officer of the municipality, only nine people received Rs 100,000 of the second installment. “Five people did not complete the work needed to receive the second installment,” said Paneru, “We have ordered them to complete all the work needed to get the second installment otherwise they will have to return the first installment as well.”
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Sulikot Animal Farm Private Limited-6, Kusunthalli Agriculture Farm-3, Jayanti Unnati Goat and Poultry Farm-4, Pushpa Poultry Farm-8 and Gurung Local Poultry Farm-8 have not received the second installment. According to the rural municipality, to receive the second installment, the applicant must complete all the criteria placed by the municipality.
The rural municipality had allocated the budget for the loans last year and provided the first installment after the start of the fiscal year 2019/20. According to Gautam Bhandari, head administrative officer of the municipality, Rs 10 million was allocated for the program.
As per Bhandari, a provision is made that the amount provided by the rural municipality can be used without any interest for two years and after that they have to return the amount to the rural municipality.
According to Bishnu Bhatta, chairperson of the rural municipality, the program might need to partner with the banks when providing loans to the youths in the area. “Those who got the second installment are doing well,” said Bhatta, “Our plan is to provide employment opportunity to youths and make them entrepreneurs in the village.”
