Provincial Program Implementation Unit (PPIU), Lumbini Province has organized an interaction program with representatives from Local Governments on implementation status of Sub-National Treasury Regulatory Application (SuTRA) and issues in the Public Financial Management (PFM) system in the Local Governments (LGs). The program aims to get the implementation status of SuTRA and its challenges and issues in the operation. The main objective of this program is to introduce PFM status highlighting the 57th report of Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and put out measures to strengthen the PFM system in the LGs.

The program was conducted in three events dated 12, 14 and 15 October 2020 targeted to 109 LGs in Lumbini Province. The total 109 participants (29 Chief Administrative Officers, 60 Account Officers/Assistants, and 11 Information Technology Officers) were participated from 67 LGs. The 3 female and 106 male, 1 Dalit, 16 Janjati, 5 Madhesi and 87 Brahmin/Chhetri were participated.

The PLGSP team; Mr. Suresh Chandra Acharya-Provincial Program Manager/Under-secretary of OCMCM, Mr. Baburam Shrestha-PFM Specialist of Programme Coordination Unit (PCU), Mr. Subas Yadav-Governance cum Legal Expert/Team Leader of Provincial Programme Implementation Unit (PPIU) and Mr. Hari Narayan Kurmi-PFM Expert of PPIU were facilitated an interaction programme. The participants shared their experiences in the implementation of SuTRA and pointed out technical and procedural issues with suggestions to improve the system which will facilitate in their daily workflow and ultimately contribute in achieving fiscal discipline at local-level. A poll was conducted on each session to know the status of SuTRA implementation and to collect their expectations and requirements for further reform in PFM. The 95% of LGs have currently implemented SuTRA in their workflow and almost all participants agreed on further support and expressed their need for capacity development programs to strengthen PFM in the local governments.