The National Pride Dilemma

Despite 11 years having passed since the government announced the “National Pride Projects,” prioritizing major development and infrastructure initiatives, the pace of construction remains extremely slow. Although these projects were declared national pride initiatives, no special legislation has been enacted to facilitate their implementation. As a result, there is little distinction between these projects and other regular development initiatives. No significant progress or proactive measures are evident in their construction. Just as delays are observed in other projects, the progress of these pride projects has been equally sluggish. Instead, the government has continued to expand the list, resulting in a long roster of national pride projects with little substantial work completed. The government initially included only 17 projects in the national pride list in FY 2011/12, adding four more in FY 2013/14. Between FY 2018/19 and FY 2020/21, another three projects were added, bringing the total to 24. However, only three projects have been completed so far: the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara Regional International Airport. The Melamchi Drinking Water Project has been partially completed, while progress on the remaining projects remains extremely limited. Delays in national pride projects have resulted not only in minimal physical progress but also in substantial cost escalations, in some cases more than doubling initial estimates. The initial cost of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project was Rs 3.529 billion, but by completion, it had risen to Rs 8.6 billion. Similarly, the initial cost of the ongoing Sikta Irrigation Project was Rs 1.28 billion, now revised to Rs 2.502 billion. Whether it is the Babai Irrigation Project or the Rani Jamara Gulariya Project, costs have more than doubled. Conditions are similar for projects such as the Bheri-Babai Diversion and the Pushpalal Mid-Hill Highway. These are just a few examples; most projects face comparable issues.