Budget Shortage Stalls Over 350 Drinking Water Projects in Lumbini Province

In Lumbini Province, Nepal, the promise of clean drinking water remains a distant dream for hundreds of communities as a staggering 368 water projects lie stalled due to persistent budget shortfalls. These vital initiatives, some dating back two decades, have been transferred from federal to provincial control but have languished due to a lack of consistent priority and funding from both levels of government.

“

Rs 13 million is needed to complete the project.

The consequences are starkly felt by the residents. Projects like the Anildhara lift drinking water scheme in Palpa, initiated in fiscal year 2007-08 to serve nearly 1,000 households, remain incomplete after 19 years, with critical work like branch line expansion and service tank construction pending. Despite equipment being procured, the lack of funds, estimated at Rs 13 million for this single project, has halted progress, leaving locals to rely on distant streams, especially during dry seasons.

“

Limited allocations in recent years have slowed progress.

Engineers at the Water Supply and Sanitation Division Office confirm that no budget has been allocated in the current fiscal year, with "limited allocations in recent years" significantly slowing progress. This financial paralysis extends across the district, with 26 similar projects unfinished in Palpa alone. As water sources dwindle, the need for reliable water systems becomes more acute, yet the provincial government's inaction, coupled with deteriorating infrastructure built on outdated cost estimates, paints a grim picture for the future of water security in Lumbini.

“

No work has been carried out under federal conditional grants in the district this fiscal year due to the lack of funds.