Five months into the current fiscal year and several government offices in Jajarkot have little to show for progress. Officials say the acute shortage of human resource in every department has led to a lull in productive spending of the development budget. 

The data of the Infrastructure Development Office also does not reflect any progress so far this fiscal year. 

“Detailed project reports and surveys of various development projects are yet to be conducted. So, we haven’t been able to invite tenders or sign contracts. This shortage of employees can lead to a freeze in the development budget this fiscal year,” said Takendra Rokaya, acting office chief at the infrastructure development office.

The office has eight posts, including that of an engineer, but has only two staff— a sub-engineer and an assistant sub-engineer. 

The office has received Rs 360 million this fiscal year to build roads, bridges and public buildings across the district. An additional Rs 20 million has been provided by the office to the People’s Housing Programme to build homes for the underprivileged and poor communities.

The office plans to construct 15 road sections, seven motorable bridges and six suspension bridges in the current fiscal year. 

Rokaya said that development works of such projects are yet to be initiated. The construction of around five dozen houses under the People’s Housing Programme for the impoverished Badi families in various parts of the district has also been left incomplete.

The situation of Drinking Water, Irrigation and Energy Development Office is also the same. The office, which received a budget of Rs 140 million this fiscal year, has selected around three dozen drinking water, irrigation and embankment projects. But none of the projects has started till date. 

“We haven’t even conducted the preliminary survey design of the selected development projects,” said Jwalaram Shahi, the office chief. “There has been a delay in implementing the budget due to the shortage of employees. There is a high chance of the budget freezing this year since the capital expenditure in the first four months of the fiscal year is zero,” he added.

The Drinking Water, Irrigation and Energy Development Office has only two employees. Six positions are vacant.

According to Chief District Officer Janak Raj Panta, the average progress of development projects in Jajarkot is less than 30 percent so far this fiscal year. 

“Human resource shortage has greatly affected the budget expenditure in various local units as well,” said Panta.