MULTIPLE FLAWS SEEN IN DATA OF QUAKE VICTIMS

By RUDRA PANGENI 

@rudrapangeni

KATHMANDU, June 5: The government has announced to distribute cash assistance to families, who lost their homes in the earthquake, based on identification cards issued to earthquake victims. It has already collected data from such households. But officials say the process to distribute cash assistance could be affected due to flaws on data of earthquake victims.

Enumerators deployed by government have already created the database of people who lost their homes in the earthquake. But officials say they have not visited affected area after the powerful aftershock of May 12. One enumerator, who was deployed in Dhading, told Republica that he completed data collection before May 12. I haven't visited affected areas after the aftershock of May 12, he said, preferring anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to media.

The government had mobilized a team under the leadership of section officer in each 499 badly-affected village development committees (VDCs). The teams also included at least one engineer.

"Data of earthquake victims is very important as the government is distributing identification cards to earthquake victims based on the data"" Govinda Nepal, member of National Planning Commission (NPC), said.

Cases of over-reporting of damages are also increasing, according to officials. Quake-hit people have been found influencing enumerators to over-report their damages expecting more assistance from the government.

The government has announced to distribute Rs 200,000 to the people who lost their houses in the earthquake. The amount includes Rs 15,000 to be distributed to each affected family for building a temporary shelter.

Interestingly, officials of neither NPC nor Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) -- the central agency for collection, consolidation, processing, analysis, publication and dissemination of statistics -- have any idea about the content of forms that enumerators filled by visiting quake-hit areas.

Bikash Bista, director general of CBS, said they have only been asked to enter data from the forms collected by the enumerators in the central database. "We could have made more scientific forms and also carried out pretest to make data more valid"" Bista said, adding that the forms seem to have been filled up by non-professionals. "We, however, have tried to make the data more reliable as far as possible though cross verification."

NPC is also working on Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA), which is also based on the same data, to present to donor agencies for soliciting their assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation. A highly placed official of NPC said the data collection process was started in haste and that NPC does not know who prepared the questionnaires used in the forms. ""There was no coordination among line agencies"" the official added, requesting anonymity.

According to officials, local leaders of different political parties tried to influence enumerators to over-report damages, expecting more assistance from the government.

After monitoring relief distribution in affected districts, lawmakers held discussion on Special Committee for Disaster Management, Monitoring and Direction of legislature-parliament last week on ways to control duplication of data of affected households. Speaking at the meeting, Iswari Neupane, a lawmaker of NC, had suggested to the government to introduce a provision that would disqualify a person from receiving assistance if s/he was found over-reporting damages. Stating that Rs 15,000 was insufficient to build temporary shelter, he had drawn the attention of the committee to direct the government to release Rs 50,000 in the first installment.

Many statisticians and experts fear misuse and manipulation of data. Bista said such distribution can be effective only if the government has reliable and evidence-based data with accuracy.

Uttam Narayan Malla, former director general of CBS, said the data of quake-hit families would be very important for relief and rehabilitation works. "There are reports of people putting pressure on enumerators to list their houses with 'minor damages' as 'badly damaged'," said Malla, adding that the data should be cross-verified. "The severity of damage should be categorized with clearer definition."

Many also worry the assessment of economic loss because of earthquake will also be bloated in the absence of authentic data from the affected districts. They stressed the need to collect reliable data for reconstruction and rebuilding of public infrastructures as over-reporting and duplication of data also might fuel corruption.

- See more at: http://myrepublica.com/society/item/22132-multiple-flaws-seen-in-data-of-quake-victims.html#sthash.aJoF2qQB.dpuf

Farmers' Woes

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Farmers are among those most affected by earthquakes. Their livelihood has been shattered in many cases. Landslides triggered by the earthquakes damaged their homes and buried the farming fields, besides killing their cattle and livestock. The temblor forced many farmers to abandon their villages. Some have come to Kathmandu and are staying in temporary shelters. But providing them homes alone won't suffice; their livelihood should also be restored.

Stored paddy seeds are buried in the rubble and there are only two weeks to prepare seed-beds ahead of the monsoon but farmers are yet to get seeds.

A total of 16,371 large animals (water buffalos, cows, oxen) are estimated to have died in recent earthquakes. With the loss of milk-giving cows and buffalos farmers have lost their major source of income. Likewise, 36,710 small animals like goats, pigs and sheep were killed while 451,688 fowls perished. All these figures have been taken from preliminary reports. Immediate recovery of farmers' lives is also important for the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is high time to provide relief to farmers but we also need a sustainable way to bring them into normal farming activities.

Post-disaster need assessment has already started. The government is drawing a blueprint for reconstruction of houses and settlements. There is a clamor for physical infrastructure like private houses, public and historical structures among ministers and planners but restoring farmers' livelihood gets little mention.

The government should provide farmers with milking cows and buffalos so that their livelihood is ensured; they should also be given seeds and other essential agricultural inputs. Some fear abundance of relief materials may make them lazy and they won't go to their fields again. We saw this after the Karnali food distribution after which people became completely dependent on doles.

Commonly, village youths are migrant workers. Women and elderly are taking care of cattle. Subsistence farming is a push factor behind youths going abroad for menial work, a craze also fuelled by easy foreign jobs without looking into income opportunities at home.

This is an opportunity to revive agriculture as well as boost agricultural production so that it will also reduce ballooning size of agro-product import. We import agro-products that the country can produce for itself. Every year agro products worth Rs 100 billion are imported while the trucks bringing in those imports return empty. Immediate start of reconstruction will not only create jobs for those outgoing youths but also create new demand in the market.

Self-employment in agriculture and also subsidy in agricultural inputs in addition to building value chains can encourage youths to engage in agriculture commercially, something already seen in many places, though sporadically. This is the right time to give this process added momentum.

Agriculture contributes 40 percent of GDP but its share is shrinking and contribution of manufacturing sector, which could have created more jobs, has also seen a decline by about 10 percent over a decade.

Many farmers frequent Kathmandu for short-term construction jobs. Starting construction work at the earliest in their districts and valleys will also help those farmers to earn and support their families.

There are discussions about relocation of families, particularly farmers, from quake-affected rural areas. But such plans of relocation to Tarai districts are neglected aspects of farmers' livelihood challenge. Physical facilities in relocated areas may be good but taking farmers away from their natural farming environment and their source of income (cattle and fields) can be counterproductive. Scattered houses can be consolidated in a well-managed settlement. However, settlements should not be far from original farmlands and grazing areas for cows and buffalos.

The author is with Republica's business bureau
Twitter: @rudrapangeni

- See more at: http://www.myrepublica.com/opinion/item/21558-farmer-woes.html#sthash.BfowgpU9.dpuf

Post Earthquake:

People are packing up from Kathmandu 

RUDRA PANGENI

KATHMANDU, May 19

Madan Baral is living with his family in Kathmandu over ten years but now has made up his mind to return his hometown Biratnagar soon. The earthquake of April 25 and subsequent aftershocks is the push factor for Baral's family, living in Kaushaltar Bhaktapur in on rent as the couple found no reason to live in Kathmandu as their two sons have already migrated to USA and Australia.  Baral had migrated to the valley for the education of his sons. "Though we were in a pilgrimage in India during the first earthquake, but we felt insecure to live in Kathmandu anymore and our sons also suggested to return to our home," Baral told Republica. Baral retired from the job of Nepal Bank Limited two years ago was employed at a consultancy until January. "We have lots of belongings in the flat, and thinking of hiring vehicles to transport to Biratnagar," added Baral. 

Baral is not alone leaving Kathmandu after the disaster that rattled fiercely and people still fear buildings will again badly sway and shake anytime. Finding an open space even in the devastating disaster of like April 25 and at least three major aftershocks is hard in the core areas of the capital city.   

Khem Acharya, a traffic police deployed at Kalanki, said that a dozen families in average leaving Kathmandu everyday with all their belongings stuffed in trucks and Mahindra pick up vans after the earthquake. Only one or two families were seen leaving Kathmandu before the earthquake. Acharya assumed, "Many must have left Kathmandu after their rental rooms damaged or could not find safe rooms to shift. It is also believed that many chose to leave Kathmandu as finding rooms on rent is difficult as statistics says over 73,000 houses damaged by the earthquake and about half of them inhabitable damaged and others can only be inhabited after repairs.

Sight of vehicles including mini trucks carrying beds, kitchen utensils, furniture, wardrobes plying on the highways are common in recent days from the capital which accommodates about 2.51 million people and majority of the population are living on rent. Rooftops of the public buses returning from the valley also have motorcycles tied besides furniture and other belongings.

Valley drew hordes of people during Maoist Insurgency from all outside valley utill 2006 due to security reasons but it did not stop and continued unabated thereafter triggered by lack of decentralization of the governance and the plan of federal structure remained in limbo amid squabbling among the political parties.

Former Finance Secretary Rameshwore Khanal says that there are some pedestrian traders, small-time traders like Pan Pasale, barbers, hawkers and skilled workers in construction industry and fruit sellers particularly who hailed from Tarai, Bihar of India and western part are seen moving out of Kathmandu following the earthquake. Khanal added that the returnees are in the mindset that they can also earn in their hometown now. In the past, economic opportunity was the one of the main reason drawing people to the capital city from outside. Khanal also posted a facebook status "Seems like Kathmandu valley might lose two to three percent migrant population permanently."

According to Census of 2011, Kathmandu district posted a highest population growth rate in a decade with 60.90 percent from 2001 to 2011 and population density of 4408 per square kilometer. Kathmandu district has the highest percentage (58.65) of households living in rented flats and houses. However, Khanal says those in service sector and jobholders have returned to their hometowns temporarily but will return as finding their jobs out of Kathmandu valley is not possible quickly.

"Many may have migrated to the nearest towns from their home districts as there are also many services now like of education and health," said sociologist Chaitanya Mishra adding, however Kathmandu won't lose its economic charm. Some also may have left Kathmandu who do not have necessarily to live in Kathmandu. Mishra thinks that many have left Kathmandu temporarily for reunion with their family members at the time devastating disaster. Besides, economic opportunity and centralized health, education among other services also attracted many to the Kathmandu in the past. Population of Kathmandu also comprises mobile population as it is also a stopover for youths heading to migrant jobs.

Tobacco Revenue 

• Excise Revenue Dips as pictorial warnings on packets hit home  
• RUDRA PANGENI

Illegal cigarette imports also blamed

KATHMANDU, April 7: Pictorial warnings on tobacco products have resulted in a decline in the consumption of tobacco and shrinking excise revenue.

Excise duty collection figures for tobacco products posted a negative growth of 5.5 percent in the first eight months of the current fiscal year. Tax officials assume that the pictorial warnings on tobacco products that started appearing from last May have had an impact on the consumption of tobacco in the form of cigarettes or as chewing tobacco.

Cigarette manufacturers acknowledge that tobacco consumption has declined in recent months, compelling them to cut back production. But they also blame illegally imported cigarettes, which are rife in the market. Consumers developed a sort of hesitation to smoke or chew tobacco, leading to a slowdown in the production and import of tobacco products. Producers likewise blame price increases for tobacco poducts and the effect of this on consumers.

Data compiled by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) shows that the excise revenue posted a negative growth of 5.5 percent to Rs 4.57 billion over the first eight months (mid-July 2014 to mid-March 2015) of the current fiscal year. This bucks the trend of continuous growth in recent years. The excise duty collected on tobacco products was Rs 4.83 billion over the same period last fiscal year.

Talking to Republica, IRD spokesperson Chandra Kala Paudel said that there was continuous growth in excise duty collection from tobacco products in past years but this year's first eight-month data shows that there was a negative growth. "We estimate that the decline in production and import of tobacco products is behind the downward trend in revenue collection," added Paudel. By contrast, the excise revenue collections on liquor and beers show 7 and 26 percent growth respectively over the same period.

Officials at the Ministry of Finance blame the decline in excise revenue for the country missing its revenue target by about 2 percent during the eight months, against a past record of at least achieving the targets regularly.

According to tobacco products manufacturers, the tobacco production is worth over Rs 3 billion annually.

The government implemented mandatory pictorial warnings on cigarette packets about the hazards of tobacco consumption, for 75 percent of the products from May, and this coverage is to be extended to 90 percent from May 15, 2015.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Shant Bahadur Shrestha has described the reported decline in excise duty from tobacco products as an achievement. "Revenue is not the important thing against the health of citizens is the principle behind discouraging tobacco consumption with mandatory pictorial warnings of hazard to health," added Shreshtha.

According to figures from the Ministry of Finance, cigarette production in the country was 11,130 million sticks in 2008-2009.

- See more at: http://myrepublica.com/economy/item/18743-tobacco-revenue-dips-as-pictorial-warnings-on-packets-hit-home.html#sthash.cs5377N4.dpuf

EPF plans to be opened to private sector employees and self employed 

• RUDRA PANGENI
• Amendment to employees provident fund act

KATHMANDU, March 25: The government is making amendment to the Employees Provident Fund Act 1952 to increase participation of employees of the private sector as well as self-employed professionals in its provident fund scheme.

The amendment bill registered at the Parliament Secretariat two weeks ago after cabinet approval has also omitted existing provision which makes only the private firms having a minimum of 10 employees eligible for joining a plan. If the bill is endorsed by the parliament, even a single employee of any firm or self-employed professionals will be eligible to join EPF’s provident fund plans or other social security schemes.

As per the draft bill, private firms will have to deduct 10 percent from their staffers’ salary, add equal amount from their side and deposit the amount at EPF.

EPF, which has only around 50,000 depositors from the private sector, expects to see massive surge in the number of depositors from private sector once the bill is endorsed by the parliament. As per the statistics of mid-July last year, EPF is sitting on a cash pile of Rs 163 billion.

Rajendra Kafle, spokesperson of EPF, said registered depositors have to deposit the amount every month and they can receive accumulated deposits and an additional amount of interest and dividend earned by the fund every year while taking retirement.

The bill has also added a new category of eligible depositors called ‘self-employed’. It defines ‘self-employed’ as earners from private enterprises or self-employed people like engineers, doctors, lawyers, auditors as well as individual migrant workers, employees of permanent or contract nature with private sector companies/firms, household workers, and informal sector laborers or laborers of tea estate.  

Once the bill is endorsed by the parliament, the government needs to make amendment to EPF Rules accordingly.
“Depositors also can participate in existing plans like borrowing of up to 90 percent of their deposit amounts and benefit from educational loan and housing loan, among others,” said Kafle.

Likewise, depositors can also get medical facility of up to Rs 15,000 for minor medical treatment and Rs 35,000 for serious treatment once a year. Similarly, next of kin of depositors will get Rs 100,000 as accidental compensation scheme in the event of the death of depositors.

Kafle also said that they have proposed to the government to endorse health insurance scheme for its depositors as part of social security schemes of the government.

More than Rs 4 billion has been collected in the Social Security Fund so far. All employees, working with both public and private sector, have been contributing one percent of their income in the fund since 2009/10.

EPF CAN ALSO BE EQUITY INVESTOR

EPF, which has been lending to different development projects, can be equity investor in infrastructure projects once the bill is endorsed.

“As EPF has deposits of long-term nature, it can invest in long-term infrastructure projects,” Kafle said.

In the absence of long-term lenders, hydropower developers are finding it difficult to finance their projects by banks and financial institutions which have short-term deposits. 

The bill also allows EPF to become equity investor in housing, hydropower and any other infrastructure projects prioritized by the government.

- See more at: http://new.myrepublica.com/economy/item/17873-epf-plans-to-be-opened-to-private-sector-employees-self-employed.html#sthash.TNxn0jHk.dpuf

Govt draws flak for low capital expenditure

Rudra Pangeni 

Kathmandu, March 20

Lawmakers have criticized Chief Secretary and secretaries of the government for low progress in capital expenditure.

Only Rs 25 billion, or 21 percent, of the allocated Rs 116 billion earmarked for capital expenditure has been spend over the first eight months of the current fiscal year.

Speaking at the meeting of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday, lawmaker Usha Gurung expressed dissatisfaction at the government's failure to change the trend of making expenditure at the eleventh hour which often results to low quality works. "The government has unveiled plan to achieve 'developing country' status by 2022. But looking at the way we execute our development works, I don't think we will be able to achieve the goal," Gurung said.

Lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada also said the government has failed to live up to its commitment of discouraging the trend of making expenditure at the eleventh hour. "This also applies to expenditure of budget allocated to parliamentary constituencies," he said, adding that authorization of budget has been sent only recently.

Responding to lawmakers' complaints, Chief Secretary Leela Mani Paudyal said he is not satisfied with the results. "I, however, am hopeful that spending will improve in the coming days. We hope to achieve 90 percent spending progress," he added.

Paudyal blamed structural problem, lengthy authorization processes, and lack of capacity of employees as the reasons behind slow spending.

Problems encountered in project development like low bidding and contractors fleeing with mobilization fee will be resolved in the new Public Procurement Act which will be tabled in the parliament soon, said Paudyal. "It, however, will not be justifiable to blame legal hurdles for low capital spending," he added.

- See more at: http://new.myrepublica.com/economy/item/17616-govt-draws-flak-for-low-capital-expenditure.html#sthash.yWhZxTP5.dpuf

Suspension bridge to connect Susta

Estimated cost put at Rs 350 million

Rudra Pangeni 

KATHMANDU, March 21: In order to connect directly with Susta Village Development Committee in Nawalparasi district, the government has finalized a plan to construct a suspension bridge over the Narayani River, similar to one over the Mahakali that connects Chandani and Dodhara on the western border.

Susta residents have to pass through Indian territory to receive any services from the government or connect with neighboring villages. Moreover, Susta VDC, which is far from any presence of the district administration, has come under recurrent encroachment by the Indian authorities, and the locals also feel insecure.

Speaking at the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee on Thursday, Lila Mani Paudyal, the government's chief secretary, said that the design for the suspension bridge has been finalized and the proposal for building it, at an estimated cost Rs 350 million, has been tabled at the National Planning Commission for final approval.

"We will start the bridge construction within this fiscal year," added Paudyal in response to lawmakers' questions why the government has delayed over the construction.

The bridge will be a combine of five suspension sets spanning a total of 1,705 meters. The bridge over the Mahakali has four sets of suspension and a length of 1,496 meters.

Jivan Shrestha, Director General of the Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads (DoLIDAR), said that they are waiting for a budget allocation from the government to start the project, which will take about four years to complete.

The bridge will not only connect the population of about 2,500 in 267 households with the district administration and give them a sense of security but also connect up with other villages.

- See more at: http://new.myrepublica.com/society/item/17617-suspension-bridge-to-connect-susta.html#sthash.3yKyy1c9.dpuf
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