Nepal : Rural Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Sector Development Program (Project grant)

Transport / Road transport (non-urban)

Nepal has made significant progress in combating poverty and improving the standard of living even in a conflict environment. This is evidenced by increases in per capita income and consumption for all quintiles of the population. However, progress has been uneven with districts far removed from the center having fewer economic opportunities and poorer service

delivery. As a result, the most isolated people, disadvantaged women, ethnic groups, and castes have benefited less from development interventions. Similarly, political and administrative reforms have been inadequate to improve service delivery, transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness. Nepal, with a Gini coefficient of 47.3 in 2003, has the highest

rate of inequality in Asia. In the aftermath of armed conflict, Nepal has shown commitment and pragmatism in its efforts to tackle both the political and development agenda, as evidenced by actions taken to bring about electoral and administrative reform aimed at increasing the effectiveness of poverty reduction policies, service delivery, and inclusive growth. Nonetheless, continuing attention to policies that influence economic opportunities and public service delivery to improve inclusion and governance is required.

The Government's Three-Year Interim Plan forms the basis for the economic and social transformation of Nepal. The country has one of the lowest road densities for a landlocked country, with some villages as far as 13 days walk from the nearest road. The lack of connectivity is a serious constraint for economic development and social inclusion. The assessment made under the Milennnium Development Goals indicates the need for additional 30,000 kilometers (km) of rural roads by 2015. The country currently has about 22,000 km of rural roads. Road standards vary significantly. Less than half are motorable and of this only about 60% are categorized as all-weather. The need for development of rural transport, particularly of rural roads, is thus huge and will require a major investment in the medium term.

The country operations business plan of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Nepal for 2008 2010 foresees that substantial peace and development dividends could be gained by the economy in the coming years. The proposed Rural Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Sector Development Program (RRRSDP) builds on ADB's key role in supporting the processes for institutionalizing good governance and inclusive development for poverty reduction, to which the Government has demonstrated commitment. By extending support, ADB will provide muchneeded resources for the state building process and poverty reduction by simultaneously (i) improving the policy environment for inclusive growth, and (ii) reconstructing and rehabilitating rural infrastructure.

1. Improved rural roads

2. Developed and improved community-based supplementary rural infrastructure

3. Enhanced equity, employment, and income opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged

4. Strengthened institutional capacity of Ministry of Local Development, Department of Local Infrastructure and Agricultural Roads, (DOLIDAR), DDCs, and communities

5. Improved project management

A total of 43 rural roads totaling 837 km selected for construction, of which 826 km completed and the remaining being completed using govt resource.

Fifteen motorable bridges (405 meters) selected, 8 (155 m) of which completed, remaining being completed by using govt resource.

Construction of 364 water supply schemes completed.

Construction of 288 trail bridges completed. 213 supplementary infrasttructures also completed.

Participation and representation of women in various planning and management committees almost meets the target with women 28% in VICCC, 37% in RBG leadership position (33% target), and 39% women in RBGs as against the 50% target.

Of the total VIUGs formed, women representation is 38% and most of them hold leadership positions.

170 SHG have been formed. Representation of women in SHG is 69%. (Dalit 14.61%, Janajati 45.82% and Madeshi 0.15%)

Laborers received wage in 30 days.

All RBG members were insured.

Men and women received equal wage in roads.

Details of skill training were given. There are 3,963 members from all SHG of which 2,727 (69%) are female. Almost all the members were provided LEST meeting targets.

Representation of women is 41%, and that of disadvantaged and ethnic groups is about 63% in rural roads and SIs.

All DDCs provided project orientation and awareness training. Total 22,614 persons received the training.

Five regional workshops on these subjects have been completed. Refresher training/workshops were done.

Three training on water quality testing implemented. Regular site visits were undertaken for strengthening quality control and O&M.

Piloting of SWAp for rural road maintenance has already been started in seven pilot districts.

Four individual consultants were recruited in April 2008 and assisted PMU up to 31 December 2012.

CISC were fielded in December 2008 and mobilized up to December 2012.

25% women staff in 20 DISTs and DPOs. Water supply and sanitation (WSS) engineers and social mobilizers (25% women) were fielded in 18 non-core districts.

CISC prepared 20 manuals and guidelines on accounting, rural roads, environmental screening, initial environmental examination and resettlement. PCU also revised the DRILP procedural manual to suit the Project.

Completed

Completed

Resettlement plans for three core subprojects as well as a resettlement framework for the Project were prepared. For subproject involved any land acquisition/resettlement, appropriate resettlement plan was prepared, publicly disclosed to those affected, and submitted to the

Asian Development Bank (ADB) in accordance with the resettlement framework and ADB's Involuntary Resettlement Policy (1995). All involuntary land acquisition were compensated and those affected assisted. The required compensation was substantially completed before award of civil works contracts and fully completed thereafter, while other rehabilitation activities were continued during project construction. The Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads (DOLIDAR) submitted semiannual progress reports on resettlement plan implementation.

Subprojects did not have adverse impact on the socioeconomic condition of indigenous people. The improved road network augmented access of indigenous communities to various services, including health, education, and market opportunities. Inclusive

measures were included in the project design to maximize project benefits and opportunities to indigenous groups through mainstreaming and

targeted approaches.

An indigenous peoples framework was prepared for the Project to provide policy and procedures to screen subproject impacts on indigenous people and prepare planning documents during project implementation in full compliance with ADB's Policy on Indigenous Peoples (1998).

The Project promoted participatory approaches through the decentralized government process. Subprojects were prioritized through existing village development committee participation in finalizing district transport master plans or other sectoral development plans. The Project aimed at increasing participation of local stakeholders, particularly socially excluded and poor, in the decision making through a community/social mobilization program. Workshops run by social mobilizers helped develop local stakeholders' confidence to speak at meetings and participate in collective decision making. Communities were trained by social mobilizers to acquire skills to run community consultations. Within building groups, the capacity of men and women to voice their concerns was strengthened through training they received from the social mobilization and capacitybuilding activities.

The Project promoted economic and social inclusion by ensuring proportional representation of historically marginalized/disadvantaged population for all aspects of project planning and implementation, particularly in employment and income generation activities. Local social mobilizers organized the poor and marginalized into groups. Village infrastructure user groups had proportional representation of local caste/ethnic groups along the project influence zone to (i) ensure participation of the poor and vulnerable groups in decision-making, (ii) raise their social capital and access to other development opportunities, and (iii) increase their use of health and education facilities in local areas.