World Bank assistance to boost poverty alleviation programme

With the fresh grant commitment of US$ 100 from the World Bank, Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) is planning to extend its poverty reduction programme in 55 districts from the existing 25 districts.
 
"We are developing a long-term plan and working to expand the program in additional 30 districts," The Kathmandu Post daily quotes Dr Ram Prakash Yadav, vice chairman of PAF as saying.
 
He elaborated that PAF's latest action plan was to run poverty reduction programs in 55 districts in a full-fledged manner, and later extend its reach in the remaining 20 districts with pocket-wise development approach.
 
Currently, PAF has reached over 100,000 poor households and excluded communities in 25 districts, in income generation and supporting infrastructure development programs.

Although PAF would need billions of rupees to materialize its vision plan, Dr Yadav said the World Bank, which has tagged PAF as one of its best portfolios for Nepal, has extended commitment to help.
 
"The commitment for US$ 100 million has been categorically included in the Interim Strategic Plan of the WB, which it unveiled recently," said Dr Yadav.

He added that the PAF has already developed a framework plan, and reviewed existing institutional, technical and financial bases as groundwork for the extension of its programs.
 
Moreover, PAF has pushed the government to appoint a board of members, which at present remains vacant from over a year.
 
According to officials, in the absence of appointment of all the board members, PAF has not been able to endorse its annual plan and new programs.
 
The PAF Act provisions mandatory board meetings every two months to review past programs and approve new ones, but that has not happened in the absence of board members, said Dr Yadav.

While laying emphasis on the need to expand its workforce, which has remained the same since PAF came into being, Dr Yadav stated that the formation of a full executive board has become a pressing need.