Reports on the misuse of development budget, both by contractors and consumers’ committees, at the end of the current fiscal year are currently making headlines. But a consumer’s committee in Lalbandi in Sarlahi district is in the news for all the right reasons.

A consumers’ committee, formed to construct an agricultural road, has completed its work on time, carried out more work than mentioned in the agreement, and managed to achieve this feat within the given budget.

Lalbandi Municipality allocated a budget of Rs 2 million to the committee to build a 165-metre section of the agriculture road. The work involved digging up the stretch, levelling the land, laying concrete and blacktopping. The consumer committee managed to construct the road, pave an additional 20-metre stretch, and save some money as well.

Suraj Thapa, chairman of the consumers’ committee, said that they saved Rs 179,484 from the allocated budget. “We all took ownership of the project because it will benefit our own community. We have even made our accounts transparent, if people want to look at the quality of the products we have used,” said Thapa.

According to Surendra Neupane, ward chief of Lalbandi-7, four consumers’ committees in his ward completed their works responsibly in the current fiscal year. “Four consumers’ committees carried out good work and even saved some money. Their work proves that if we work honestly, we can do quality work on time and within budget,” said Neupane, adding that the spare budget would be used to carry out other development activities in the same area.

Mayor Man Bahadur Khadka also had similar sentiments, saying the agricultural road constructed by the consumers’ committee sets an example for all other construction works that are to be carried out in the municipality.