A high-level interaction and intensive discussion was held between the Bagmati Province Government and District Coordination Committees (DCCs) within the province. The discussion event has been organized with the support of the Provincial and Local Governance Strengthening Programme (PLGSP), under the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers (OCMCM) in Bagmati province. The event focused on enhancing DCCs' capacity for effective coordination and monitoring and evaluation of development programs and service delivery in municipalities as well as addressing key challenges and identifying actionable solutions in increasing monitoring role in realizing operational and legal mandates to DCCs.

The program provided a learning and sharing platform to discuss common monitoring and evaluation (M&E) concerns at the provincial and local levels and increased clarity on their roles and responsibilities. It played a pivotal role in fostering both vertical and horizontal collaborations among government tiers and build sold foundation of trust and mutual respect to work together ahead.

The Honorable Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama Tamang of Bagmati province inaugurated the event as the Chief Guest, jointly with Principal Secretary Mr. Mahadev Pantha, who also chaired the meeting. Various other dignitaries those participated in the discussion from province government includes Mr. Suraj Chandra Lamichhane (Minister for Internal Affairs and Law), Dr. Ganga Datta Nepal (Vice Chair, Provincial Policy and Planning Commission), and Mr. Binod Shah (Chief Political Advisor of the Chief Minister), among others, along with DCC’s Chiefs and District Coordination Officers.

Four Thematic Papers Were Presented, Including:

• Dr. Som Lal Subedi, Former Chief Secretary/GoN, on theoretical and practical aspects of M & E coordination at provincial and local level.
• Dr. Ganga Datta Nepal, Vice Chair of PPPC, on governance, service Delivery, and development management.

Interactive sessions, discussions, and Q & As enriched the discourse.

Key Challenges Identified:

• Insufficient M & E budget allocations to DCCs.
• Lack of IT personnel and inadequate database systems.
• Absence of clear reporting protocols between DCCs and the province.
• Weak mechanisms for capturing data and collecting reports from local governments.
• Lack of implementation of DCC recommendations by municipalities.
• Inconsistent timing of district assemblies.
• Limited expertise and capacity for impactful monitoring and evaluation procedures.
• Gaps in conducting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and physical verification.
• Lack of monitoring authority to DCC to over extraction and misuse of stone, aggregate and sand collection through river sides, that trigger disastrous events and conflicts with local community.

Mr. Suraj Chandra Lamichhane emphasized the urgent need for DCC oversight in disaster management and curbing riverine resource leakage. Principal Secretary Mr. Mahadev Pantha pledged to integrate monitoring issues into the forthcoming Provincial Monitoring Act through wider discussion with relevant actors.

Participants:

Participants shared insights and suggestions to improve the local M &E system and called on the province to enact robust laws and policies. DCC representatives emphasized the need for institutional strengthening and legal clarity on their M & E role and authority. A total of 48 participants (44 male, 4 female) —16 elected representatives and 32 government personnel— participated in the event.

Highlights of the Activities:

• Inauguration by Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama Tamang; chaired by Mr. Mahadev Pantha.
• DCC Chair Mr. Santosh Budhathoki (Kathmandu) submitted a memorandum letter to the Chief Minister.
• Legal provisions of DCC responsibilities presented by experts.
• Open discussion on key issues and challenges in coordination, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Political commitment from provincial and local levels to reinforce M & E systems for effective development outcomes.

Next Steps:

The event concluded with strong political commitment and improvement in technical monitoring process. The Bagmati Province Government will incorporate the issues raised into the draft Monitoring Act, enhancing DCCs’ legal mandate and operational efficiency and technical capacity on enhancing monitoring functions at local level. The program directly supports PLGSP’s goal of strengthening inter-governmental coordination and effective service delivery through increased monitoring and evaluation process at local level.