In line with the requirement of geographical coverage for the project intervention, five VDCs out of 52 VDCs of Kathmandu district were selected. They are Chapali Bhadrkali, Chunikhel, Kapan, Khadka Bhadrakali and Mahankal that together constitute 22,760 households and 92,497 populations (Table 1). All of these VDCs share their physical boundaries with the Kathmandu Metropolitan. They are more developed compared to other VDCs in terms of physical infrastructure development including road connectivity; institutional infrastructures; commercial activities; health facilities etc.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF LGAF:
The overall objective/goal of LGAF is “to increase capacity of citizens, communities and marginalized groups to assert their rights and hold local governments accountable”. LGAF is a semi autonomous support mechanism that provides research grants to local CSOs in three areas of intervention namely; i) local body grants expenditure review and community engagement, (ii) public hearing and compliance monitoring, and (iii) community based monitoring of public goods and services. It extends its financial and technical supports to CSOs through its five regional/cluster offices established in Biratnagar, Hetauda, Pokhara, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi. LGAF is a part of Local Governance and Community Development Program (LGCDP) under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development. It works for all DDCs, municipalities and VDCs of the country.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES PROPOSED IN THE PROJECT PROPOSAL
The overall objective/goal is to "enhance the capacity of CSOs and the engagements of the community people including women; particularly those belonging to marginalized and vulnerable communities, in the development activities carried out by the service providers (i.e. VDCs) and thereby contribute to the effective allocation, mobilization and utilization of government block grants in line with the prescribed rules/regulations and make the service providers more accountable to the citizens".>
The specific objectives of the project/intervention as stated in the project proposal are to:
- Review the legal provisions (Acts/regulations/guidelines etc.) concerning the VDCs; examine the processes adopted by VDCs in the allocation and expenditure of government grants;
- Identify the gap between the expected (legally provisioned) condition and actual condition and areas for improvement in the future; and
- Organize public debates at VDCs on identified areas of improvement with the participation of the community people, service recipients, service providers of VDCs and general public with a view to come out with a written “Commitment Document” and a community based "Monitoring Committee" to monitor the implementation of commitments.
