Third Party Monitoring thru NGO Gaining Ground (Bishnu Nepal)

            Kathmandu, Dec 27: The third party monitoring through the non government organizations (NGO) in the projects run with the assistance of the World Bank is gradually gaining ground.

The Vijay Development Resource Centre (VDRC), Nawalparasi, has conducted the third party monitoring of the biggest project on vocational education and training promotion launched by the Ministry of Education with the grants from the WB.

The project begun in 2011 is completing next year.

The VDRC conducted the monitoring of the project activities of 18 months. The VDRC was the NGO selected first time for the third party monitoring of the government-run projects.

Earlier, the World Bank had assigned a Swiss organization- Helvetas- to conduct third party monitoring of various six projects run by the government.

The projects were about rural access reform and decentralization, poverty alleviation, peace process assistance, school sector reform and vocational education and training promotion.

The Helvetas later assigned the VDRC to conduct a monitoring of the project on vocational education and training promotion.

It was informed at a programme organized jointly by Helvetas, the project, and VDRC in the capital city that the third party monitoring has helped ease the implementation of the project and promote accountability.

Speakers at the programme stressed the need for the government to internalize the learning of the third party morning of the projects it runs.

On the occasion, Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Dr Govind Pokhrel, said the third party monitoring promotes accountability and good governance, so the NHRC was planning the third party monitoring in the government projects too.

He argued that such monitoring helps check the pace of progress of any project and the change the project brought on target groups.

Similarly, VDRC Chairman Basant Raj Lamsal said his organization was able enough for monitoring the implementation status of the project.

Joint Secretary and the project director Laxmi Ram Poudel said the important aspect of the training is its effects as, how many become independent, how much they earn, and how do the trained ones uplift their economic status.

According to him, the monitoring would continue even after the project.

Country Chief of Helvetas, Bharat Pokhrel, lauded the monitoring conducted by the VDRC, saying it was very effective and impressive.

Other speakers as Dr Subarna Man Pradhan and Dr Bharatendu Mishra spoke on the importance of the third party monitoring, saying it promotes public accountability and good governance. RSS