Budget shortage stalls water supply projects in Kailali and Kanchanpur

Dhangadhi: Dozens of water supply projects in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts have remained incomplete for years due to a persistent shortage of budget.

According to the Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office, Kailali, a total of 90 federally funded conditional grant projects—initiated in the fiscal year 2071/72 BS—are still unfinished, creating a financial liability of nearly Rs. 2 arba.

Grisham Thapa, Senior Divisional Engineer and Chief of the Division Office, said the limited budget allocation each fiscal year has severely hampered progress, resulting in no tangible outcomes from projects that are structurally near completion. In Kailali, 32 drinking water projects, and in Kanchanpur, 22 projects under the Climate Adapted Large-Scale Drinking Water Project remain incomplete.

“The projects are facing delays not only due to inadequate funding but also because of rising costs. Consequently, thousands of citizens are still deprived of clean drinking water,” Thapa said. He added that with sufficient funding from the government, the projects could be completed within a year.

Many projects, while having built the necessary infrastructure, including deep boring systems, overhead tanks, compound walls, and office buildings, are non-functional due to the absence of pipelines—again a result of insufficient budget allocation.

According to the office, projects valued at Rs. 10 lakhs are being allocated as little as Rs. 2 to 4 lakh annually, rendering the completion timeline uncertain. Engineer Thapa noted that projects benefiting 10,000 to 15,000 people require Rs. 3 to 6 lakhs to be completed, but such funds have not been forthcoming.

Further complicating the issue is the division of these large-scale projects into multiple segments, which Thapa said contributes to further delays. The federal government is responsible for budgeting the projects, while the provincial government executes and maintains them.

Thapa emphasized the urgent need to increase budget allocations to ensure timely access to basic water supply services for all citizens. Currently, 12 percent of residents in the Far West Province still lack basic drinking water facilities.