Need Decentralized Disaster Risk Management System

Inadequate institutional capacity of the government has been considered as one of the major limitations for effective management of rescue and relief operation in the recent Earthquake in Nepal. Owing to the ineffective fund management system, the development partners have shown reservations put their support in the central level disaster dedicated account. Formation and establishment of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been felt necessary for smooth implementation of recovery and rehabilitation programs. In fact, only establishing the Authority at central level would not be sufficient, unless legal and dedicated disaster risk management related organizations are formed, and resources and authorities are decentralized from central to local level. This can be possible only when there are elected local government entities to coordinate efforts on the ground.  

Nepal experienced devastating Earthquake on 25^th April 2015 and continues to feel several aftershocks that has resulted in loss of over eight thousand and six hundred people, and damaged a total of 7,69197 private houses until May 21, 2015 (http://drrportal.gov.np/). To ensure timely availability of rescue and relief materials, the government has tried mobilizing all resources through adopting one door policy. In this regard, government has mobilized central and district level relief management committees. In addition, it has tried to strengthen the central level disaster funding mechanism. Although there have been heavy criticism from different quarters, the approach of mobilizing fund from central treasury has received some success.

Nepal has to comply with the principles and programs of Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 as it is party to the convention. As per the convention, Nepal should keep disaster risk management programs at national and local priority. As stipulated in the Framework for Action, the government has promulgated Nepal Disaster Risk Management Strategy (NDRMS) and made provision of forming multi stakeholder disaster risk management committees at national, regional, district and local level. The major spirit of the NDRMS is to decentralize resources and authorities of disaster risk management from central government to local level. In addition, it emphasizes on the need of partnering with CBOs, NGOs and other organizations such as Nepal Red Cross Society while carrying out disaster risk relief and rescue operations at local level. Further, enactment of Local Self Governance Act (LSGA), 1999 gives responsibility of managing disaster to local government.

To develop disaster resilient society, it is necessary to mainstream disaster risk criteria into local development planning process. In order to mainstream disaster preparedness, risk reduction and management as a priority in the  local development planning and budgeting process, Disaster Risk Management Planning Guidelines at district and Local Disaster Risk Management Planning (LDRMP) Guidelines at Village Development Committee and Municipality levels have already been formulated and are being implemented. As envisioned by the LDRMP, Local Disaster Risk Management Committees at Municipality and VDCs are to be formed to plan disaster risk management activities at VDC and Municipality level. Further, according to the Guidelines, to implement the disaster risk management activities, local CBO, NGO and private sectors can also be mobilized.

According to LSGA, 1999 Disaster management fund should be established and mobilized at district level. In this regard, a dedicated account for disaster risk management has been provisioned under District Development Fund of DDC. Further, according to the Act, districts are required to maintain a fixed deposit of at least NRS, 100,000 for use in the event of a disaster. VDCs are also required to maintain some disaster risk management funds at their disposal. Since 2008-2009, municipal bodies have also been required to establish a relief and recovery fund in accordance with an amendment to the LSGA 2007.

Despite having these legal provisions and institutional mechanism, particularly at VDC and Municipality level, these disaster responsive organizations either were not formed or were found almost functionless during the time of recent relief and rescue management. Instead, acknowledging the impartial role, political parties have entrusted Ward Citizen Forum (WCF), for the management of relief materials at local level. There are over 4000 WCF across the countries that were formed under MoFALD through Local Governance and Community Development Program (LGCDP) support. I the present context where there is absence of local elected bodies, WCFs are working as an extended form of local bodies. In a meeting at Rasuwa on 5^th May 2015 where Prime Minister Mr. Shusil Koirala, UML Chairperson Mr. K.P Oli and Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Chairperson Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal participated, district political party representatives applauded effective and neutral role of WCF while distributing relief materials at settlement level.

To create local ownership, based on the Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) reports, it is important to develop early recovery plan under the leadership of local bodies and in consultation with the Earthquake affected population as soon as possible. As monsoon season is at the doorsteps of Nepal, it is wise to get the plan through Ward Citizen Forum and VDC and DDC Councils. It is pertinent to explore and build on the existing policies and programs that support in creating and strengthening early recovery institutions at local levels. An arrangement should be made whereby disaster management communities be engaged in early recovery planning process and mobilize WCF in monitoring and supervision of the early recovery activities at the local level.

Instead of losing more time to create new institution at central level, it is wise to activate the institutions and funds that are being provisioned by existing laws, bylaws and guidelines at the local level. Moreover, adopt the approach of decentralizing disaster management budgets and authorities to local level institutions. In the mean time, to ensure effective implementation of Early Recovery Plan, it is wise to hold interim local election as soon as possible and engage the elected government in disaster risk management. Once elected government is bestowed with the responsibility of disaster risk management at local level, then disaster management shall be inclusive, accountable, participatory, and transparent.

In summary, it is urgent to conduct local election and decentralize the Disaster risk management responsibilities as well as resources to dedicated organizations via local government. In the mean time, it is essential to further strengthen capacity of Ward Citizen Forum and mobilizes them in managing relief and recovery services. Early recovery plan should be designed based on the participation of local bodies so that effective implementation can be ensured. Focusing only on reforming institution at central level would not solve the problem, instead may trigger frustration as it may linger process of service delivery.

Women worst affected in Dhunche VDC of Rasuwa

Anju Dhungana, Women Development Officer in Rasuwa mentioned that women have been worst affected in Dhunche VDC of Rasuwa by the Earthquake devastation that struck Nepal on 25th April. Rasuwa is amongst the worst affected districts hit by the devastation with epicenter in Gorkha. A data analysis of the injured and affected population also validated this. Among the reported total affected cases of 251, death rate of women stood at 62% and that of injured at 59% (Table 1).

Table 1 Gender segregated data of death and injured population in Rasuwa

Gender	Total Population in Rasuwa	Proportion Population in Rasuwa (%)	Death Recorded Until 6th May	Proportion Death (%)	Injured Recorded Until 6th May	Proportion Injured (%)
F	21300	50	155	62	139	59
M	22000	50	96	38	96	41
Total	43300	100	251	100	235	100

Even post devastation, women were hit hard emotionally and were overburdened to care for children, worry about food and logistics. The impacts on women were more obvious than men.  Ms. Ritu Tamang, a Social Mobiliser of LGCDP in Dhunche VDC of Rasuwa mentioned, “Since men are always mobile, searching for relief and attending meetings, they had lesser household responsibility and had better chance to escape from the devastation.” In addition, women are also facing problems of safe housing and sanitation; problem of toilet and changing clothes while they live in temporary shelters, said Ritu.

Ek Raj Sigdel &

Reshu Karki 

Monitoring report of MoFALD’s Relief support at Ward 16, Kathmandu Metropolitan City

 

Ministry of Federal affairs and Local Development released 452 million emergency funds as immediate relief support to affected 12 districts and 38 Municipalities. In order to stock take the utilization of funds, MoFALD visited Ward Number 16 at Kathmandu Metropolitan City on 2^nd May 2015. As per the Relief Support Management Guideline (RSMG), the Ward was entitled to receive NPR. 2, 00,000 to be utilized in managing food, medicines, toilets, and maintain health and hygiene situation.

It is noted that although the visit was held on Saturday, the ward officer was found to be active in coordinating responsibilities. Information was updated from Mr. Sarbagya Raj Paudel, Assistant Office Secretary and Laxmi Ratna Tuladhar, Chairperson of Ward Citizen Forum (WCF) who were in the field to assess impact of the Earthquake.

A Relief Management Committee (RMC) had already been established under the Chairpersonship of Ward Administrative Officer as per the guideline. A relief package worth NPR 1, 80,000 had already been to the victims.  Of the total amount, NPR. 20,000 were spent in the purchase of diesel by nearby Police Office and to mobilize mobile-water-tank at the door steps of the victims. NPR. 20,000 was spent in purchasing lime, phenol, and Jeevanjal. NPR 1, 40, 000 was utilized to purchase rice, lentil and salt for 800 people of 172 households in Balaju, Boratar, Balaju Park and Sorkhakhutte area. People in these areas had lost their houses and have no money.  The food distribution scheme was: rice 2Kg/person, lentil 0.5 kg/person and a packet salt/family.

It was noted by the assistant officer secretary that although the amount received from MoFALD was very small, it was instrumental to coordinate other supports such as Red Cross, private sectors and civil society organizations. The WCF chairperson mentioned that the support was vital in building confidence of people towards LBs and government response.

In conclusion, the relief support from MoFALD has been received at the ward and execution of the fund in distribution of relief support has already started. The fund was utilized in providing immediate needs of the victims, such as food and first aid. It was also observed that more support is expected by the LBs from central government.  It was mentioned that further support should be based on the impact of the earthquake and proportion of peopled affected. Moreover, assistance should also be categorized based on needs of the affected population.

Report prepared by Mr.Ek Raj Sigdel, Environmental Specialists, LGCDP II

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AT LANDSCAPE LEVEL: LESSONS FROM WESTERN TARAI LANDSCAPE IN NEPAL

Birks, H.J.B. 2015. Biodiversity, livelihood and climate change in the
Himalayan region. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Biodiversity,Livelihood and Climate Change in the Himalayas. (eds.) Jha, P.K., K.K.Shrestha, R.P. Chaudhary and B.B. Shrestha. Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu. pp. 1-39.

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AT LANDSCAPE LEVEL:
LESSONS FROM WESTERN TARAI LANDSCAPE IN NEPAL

Ek Raj Sigdel
Western Tarai Landscape Complex Project (WTLCP), Field Office Dhangadhi, Nepal

Multipurpose Village Women Group Clinic: Proper Utilization of Women Focused Budget

Prakash Paudel, Village Development Committee (VDC) Secretary of Mahadevsthan in Dhading stated that until two years ago, the women focused budgets of Mahadevsthan VDC, were spent in road construction. However, since last year, with the lobbying of the women groups of the VDC who became aware of the targeted budget through the Social Mobilization Program of LGCDP II, now has diverted the budget to establish and strengthen Village Women Group Clinics.

Village Women Group Clinic at Ward Number 5 of Mahadevsthan VDC provides maternal health care services and vaccination via Village Health Worker, avails early childhood education to their children, and provides general medicines such as, antiseptics and citamol. In addition, the Clinic has become a venue for holding regular meeting of the Women Group.  This was made possible with the active engagement of the Women Group - a group of 27 women that constitutes of marginalized groups, mainly Chepang, Bhujel, Dalit, and Tamang. Shanti Nepal, a local NGO supported in the formation of groups with the objective of empowering women and working for their rights.

The Women Group had the opportunity to learn about VDC planning process, annual planning, and policy provision of women focused budget and programme through social mobilization programme of the VDC, said Nirmala Bhujel, a Social Mobilizer of the LGCDP II Programme. Likewise, the Women group also became aware on accessing VDC resources to fund development initiatives. Thus, the Women Group became encouraged to attend regular VDC meetings, thereby empowered to be involved in the local level planning process.

The group sensed that women focused budgets had not been spent properly. Hence, they lobbied with the VDC Council to construct a multipurpose Village Women Group Clinic in their ward last year from the women targeted budget. The Mahadevsthan VDC Council allocated Rs, 80,000 to support the construction. The total estimated cost of the building was Rs. 5, 00,000 during the fiscal year 2071/72. The group then accessed Rs. 50,000 from DDC. Local NGOs - Shanti Nepal and Prayas Nepal extended its support for building the roofs, providing furniture and carpets respectively. Additionally, each member of the Women Group on an average contributed Rs. 5000 each.

Thus, the Women Group became empowered after getting information on targeted budget via social mobilization programme of VDC, thereby rightly directing the budget in supporting women via formation of multipurpose Village Women Group Clinic.

The report was prepared based on consultation with Mahadevsthan VDC Secretary, Social Mobiliser and a few women in Mahadevsthan on 14^th march 2015.  

Insight from Siraha Visit

March 15, 2015

Introduction

A training on Environment Friendly Local Governance Program (EFLGP) was organized in Siraha for various level stakeholders from 4-7 February 2015. During this time, I have had chance to hold informal interactions with the available Social Mobilisers (SMs), District Governance Expert (DGE), Urban Governance Experts (UGEs) and an Information Communication Technology (ICT) Volunteer.  Below are some of the observation from the field visit:.

Field Staff activities:

It was noted that the facilitating roles of DGE and UGEs are being valued gradually by Local Development Officers (LDOs) and Municipality Executive Officers (Eos) in their respective offices. Social Mobilisers are regularly attending and facilitating Citizen Awareness Center (CAC) and Ward Citizen Forum (WCF) Meetings. In an average, a social mobiliser was reported to spend 13 days (9 days WCF meetings and four days CAC REFLECT Classes) in the field and the rest of the days  in their respective VDCs and Municipality Offices. In office, these staffs extend backup support to the office bearers on necessary daily office activities. These technical assistance staffs supported Constituency Assembly Election in 2013 on raising awareness and making available identity cards to voters. Currently, they are engaged in poverty mapping, vital registration, open defecation free campaign, and municipality cleanup movement amongst others.

Key Notes   

Ms Dev Kumar Suda, a dalit representation in School Management Committee initiated Dalit quota Scholarship:  Members of Citizen Awareness Centers (CACs) are being represented in decision making positions of various public organizations that have contributed towards attaining positive results in socio-economic status of their communities. For instance, Ms. Dev Kumari Suda, Treasurer of Citizen Awareness Center, Fulbariya 4 Bhagawatpur for the first time represented in the School Management Committee of Shree Baj Higher Secondary School, Ward No 8 in Mirchaiya Municipality in March 2013.  Ms. Dev Kumari Suda’s efforts in the decision making body has lead to the school having dedicated scholarships for dalit students. Mr. Jagat Mahara who secured first position in sixth standard last year and now studying in class seven, has been studying under the dalit quota scholarship. Prior to this, the dalit quota scholarship was not being utilized appropriately. The example has lead to understand that the decision making body such as a school management committee should be adequately represented by marginalized groups in order to realize the principle of inclusiveness and equal benefit distribution. “Representation of dalit member in the management committee was an outcome of CAC activity”, said Shiva Kumar Mahara, a Social Mobiliser in Mirchaiya Municipality.

Community specially marginalized group people are empowered greatly: It was noted that CAC members accessing citizenship certificates, having opinions on target group based public goods and services, increased ability to write their own names and signature clearly, registering vital events, are some examples of empowerment. Mr. Chandralal Pashwaan, a Social Mobiliser in Mirchaiya Municipality of ward 4, 5 and 6, states that regular meetings and use of empowerment tools such as Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA), Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and well -being ranking taught during REFLECT classes has aided towards empowering women groups. This in turn has contributed significantly in minimizing incidences of social evils such as alcoholism and playing cards, said him.

Likewise, Bhogendra Mandal, Social Mobilizer, Mirchaiya Municipality responsible for Ward No 2, has worked over 4 years as Social Mobiliser in LGCDP, said CAC members are holding regular meetings and participating local development planning and council in the community building that was built with the support of Rs. 10,0000 from LGCDP.  When the CAC members attended planning meetings, their knowledge and access to local small development activities has increased, stated Mr. Bhogendra Madnal.

Lahan Municipality Executive Officer Mr. Krishna Bahadur Karkee in coordination with local NGO mobilized CAC members of Lahan Municipality to hold regular clean-up campaign in Lahan Municipality. It was observed during the seventh weekly cleanup campaign in Ward number 8 of the Municipality on February 7, 2015, all 30 CAC women members along with Municipality Executive Officers, police, NGOs were involved in the campaign. Social Mobilsier of LGCDP was seen motivating CAC members in the cleanup campaign.

Impacts:

All Social Mobilisers were of the view that with effective Social Mobilization Process in LGCDP, women and marginalized communities are empowered gradually. They have been able to voice their demand in local development planning process. Some CACs are able to accessing resources from VDC and other line agencies and constructing community building and implementing other income generation activities. Some of the women members in CAC groups have got citizen certificates. Target group based activities are being implemented properly as CAC members are being represented in decision making process now. Over and above, principle of inclusiveness and fair benefit distribution are being gradually observed at the field level. Thanks due to the Social Mobilisers for their hard work to make the changes at the grass root level. 

   

Issues:

·        Despite CAC are empowered and accessing public goods and services, their level of awareness on environment friendly sustainable development activities were found low. Therefore, EFLG training participants as well as Social Mobilisers had demand for further capacity enhancement training and awareness at local level. Mobile video show programs on environment friendly development activities at settlement level would be a good strategy for adopting environment friendly development activities at household level. Of course, it demands greater resources and time too.  

·        As said by Social Mobilsiers, they had not opportunities of acquainting with updated policy issues especially social mobilization guidelines. Social Mobilisers were of the view that instead of making requirement for them to attend Municipality Office, they would like to engage in more result oriented field activities.

·    It was observed that UGE and ICT Volunteers were discharging their responsibilities without having fixed table, computer and motorbike in Siraha Municipality. Though the authorization letter has already been reached in Siraha to procure laptop, the computer was yet to be purchased. Moreover, Lahan Municipality has already procured the Laptop as said by Shekhar Karkee, UGE, Lahan.   

·    In the changing context especially when the VDCs are transformed into Municipalities, Social Mobilisers are discharging their responsibilities by travelling upto 17 KM from home. Therefore, the workload of Social Mobilisers may need to be reviewed

·     Of course, need regular follow up to field and enquiring field staff activities encourage them to perform better and many more social transformation story can be documented. 

Environment Friendly Governance Framework: A tool to bring conservation and development together

Background

Climate change, disaster and environment management policies, plans, programs and institutions are formed and implemented in isolation in Nepal and hence it has been realized that the silos approach has neither contributed to development nor to conservation at par the expected level instead both aspects are being weakened day by day. Local Adaptation Plan of Action, Community Adaptation Plan of Action, Local Disaster Risk Management Plan, Community Forests Operational Plans, Local Disaster Risk Management Plan, Buffer Zone Management Plan among others developed and being implemented through forming respective committees at district and community level. It has resulted in duplication and gaps of scarce resources and it has implicated on community dissatisfaction and inadequate people participation in the respective sectors. Therefore, Nepal needs coordination framework that helps bringing together the various sectoral policies, plans, institutions, programs, indicators and stakeholders and yields synergic effects. The strategy ultimately contributes to increasing people participation in environment management and development. Initiation should be taken from local government. MoFALD having mandate to strengthen capacity, coordination, collaboration, facilitation and monitoring of local bodies, developed a planning and coordinating framework called Environment Friendly Local Governance Framework (EFLG-F) in 2013. It stresses on the need of greater collaboration, cooperation and partnership amongst conservation and development stakeholders ranging from household to policy makers while planning and implementing environment and development activities. The article intends to introduce EFLG, its implementation strategies and approaches.

Environment Friendly Local Governance Framework

EFLG concept has been evolved with the notion that environment conservation should be begun from household level. In this regard, household can be judged whether it has practiced environment friendly behaviors through attaching various sector indicators. The indicators have been developed with the premises that it helps assessing result based monitoring mechanism. In addition, the EFLG Framework helps local government to design and integrate environmental activities into local bodies' 14 step planning process.

To create synergic effect on implementation, the document provisions various coordination committees at various tiers ranging from Village Development Committee (VDC) to Municipality to District to National Planning Commission Level. The roles of these various committees are to strengthen collaboration and promoting integrated planning process from VDC/Municipality to District Development Committee (DDC) to Central Level. To implement the concept, capacity of Policy Makers, District Environment Energy and Climate Change Sections, local service providers and citizen and their organizations need to be assessed and strengthened. The enhanced capacity will be realized in accountable and credible service providers and empowered and participation of citizens in planning process.

Goal

The long term goal of EFLG is to contribute to poverty reduction through promoting environment friendly local governance. The purpose of the EFLG is to enhance capacity of local government toward adopting green development path through making effective service delivery and community empowerment. It aims at mainstreaming pro-poor, inclusive, and gender responsive environmental, climate change, and disaster risk reduction criteria into local government policies, plans, systems, structures, mechanisms and working procedures. Local Governance and Community Development Program (LGCDP-II) will roll out the EFLG Framework by incorporating the principles of sustainable development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk management under umbrella of EFLG.

The Local Governance and Community Development Programme-II (LGCDP-II) is a national Programme executed by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) since July 2013. It is a follow up of LGCDP-I (2008 -2013). It is being jointly financed by the Government of Nepal and 14 development partners (DPs) under a number of different financing arrangements.  The overarching goal of the Programme is to contribute towards poverty reduction through better local governance and community development. The goal of the Programme is aligned with national goal and will contribute either directly or indirectly the achievement by empowering citizens and responding to their priority needs, while at the same time strengthening decentralized local governance, community development and integrated service delivery.

The purpose of the Programme is to improve local governance for effective service delivery and citizen empowerment.  It provides an overall framework for: (i) strengthening decentralization and devolution processes; (ii) improving local governance system to ensure effective delivery of basic services; and (iii) empowering citizens, especially women, children and disadvantaged groups (DAGs) and their institutions.

LGCDP II is designed as a framework programme with four outcomes and nine outputs. The four outcomes of LGCDP-II encompass a wide range of capacity development such as citizens’ empowerment (demand side improvements), improvement of institutional, processes, and administrative and financial capacities of local bodies (supply side improvements), enhanced service delivery, integrated planning processes and citizen-centric policy development.

Further, EFLG will be mainstreamed into integrated planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation and coordination amongst local governance actor, which is one of the outcomes of LGCDP – II. The government intends to declare at least 300 VDCs, four Municipalities and four DDCs as EFLG by 2016/17.

Implementation Strategy

The program will be brought upto the door step of local people through LGCDP -II Framework, as it acts as vehicle for bringing the EFLG agenda upto settlement level through reforming and strengthening local governance. To make the program more effective and efficient, program will be implemented following sector wide approach. The other strategies for implementation include:

Behavior change

EFLG demands sustained changes in service delivery and users behaviors in eight focus areas, namely, sustainable agriculture and promotion of greenery and beautification; waste management and pollution control; renewable energy and energy efficiency; biodiversity and ecosystems conservation; water, sanitation and hygiene; climate change, disaster risk reduction, sustainable urban planning and infrastructure development and environmental governance. Given the broad range of activities that fall under EFLG, a communication strategy has already been drafted that is structured around the eight campaign areas. Advocacy, social mobilization and programme communication activities have been proposed for each of the areas. Positive behavioral change in each of the areas of work of EFLG will demand sustained campaigning and occur in time scales between 5 to 10 years.

Course and fine filter approach

EFLG shall be implemented following course and fine filter approach. Awareness, capacity development and monitoring activities shall be implemented across the country through the LGCDP – II framework. In the mean time, EFLG will also be implemented intensively in selected 12 districts, 33 municipalities and 60 VDCs of the country. Once the result come out from the selected sites, then the learning shall be documented and the program will be rolled out across the country. Moreover, other development partners would also be encouraged to initiate EFLG in the other selected sites as an align program. It is hoped that the partners shall maintain close coordination with local bodies while implementing the EFLG program and provides reports to the MoFALD. MoFALD shall facilitate the EFLG implementation process at local level.      

   

Service and communication together

An arrangement will be made so that goods and services together with EFLG information shall be brought upto the doorstep of target households. The strategy helps motivating people from household level and thereby encourages them to participate in the environment friendly development activities. It ultimately helps changing their behavior. Multiple entry points; such as Citizen Awareness Center and Ward Citizen Forums for planning, Capacity of Ward Citizen Forum will be further enhanced so as to make them able to bring environmental agenda in the local development planning and budgeting process and environment will be considered as an integral part of the community infrastructure development activities. Various electronic as well as print media shall be used to disseminate the EFLG information and its usefulness.

Integration into local development plan and programs

Local Self Governance Act 1999, provisions to develop periodical plan of all district, municipality and VDCs. The 13^th (2070/71 – 2072/73) approach paper stresses on the need of formulating annual work plan based on the periodical plan. Even the sectoral plans should be prepared in line with the district periodic plans so that a consistency can be ensured and to some extent the strategy helps maintaining linkage amongst local government and line agencies. MoFALD now is in a mission of preparing periodic plan of all 75 districts in 2071/72. To maintain consistency and uphold standard, the Ministry has prepared "District periodic plan working procedure 2070" that aims at integrating environment friendly local development activities into the Periodical Plans. Local bodies will be encouraged to invest part of their annual income into environment friendly development activities following performance based grant system modality.  

Capacity development

LSGA authorizes local government for preparing and implementing development plans for the natural resources that fall under their jurisdiction.  In this regard, the leadership capacities of the local bodies need to be further strengthened. In addition, the local government should have some sort of knowhow on the issues of mainstreaming environment, climate change and disaster into local development plan and budgets. In addition, capacity of local bodies will be enhanced in adopting environment and development bridging tools like Environment Management Plan, IEE and EIA as and when necessary. Capacity of local communities specially citizen awareness center and ward citizen forums shall be strengthened so as to make them able to put demand for environment friendly local development programs at local development plan and budgets.

Result based management

There are a total of 346 indicators. Three types of indicators are designed – advanced, basic and special. There are 163 advances, 139 basic and 42 special indicators. The indicators for household, settlement, wards, VDC/Municipality, DDC and public offices has been identified in consultation with the wider stakeholders ranging from field level to policy makers.

Volunteer incentive

Volunteer incentive based approach will be adopted to encourage household, settlements, village and districts to opt environment friendly behaviors and practices. To trigger the process, environment friendly household, settlement, ward, VDC and DDC will be appreciated through provisioning them with various incentive schemes such as discount on land taxes, infrastructure support, availing computers for public offices, awarding various colored tags and supporting with hoarding boards.

Implementation Approach

Existing institutional arrangements to deliver the Local Governance and Community Development Programme (LGCDP II) will be utilized to roll out EFLG activities. Environment Friendly Local Governance (environmental safeguards, climate change adaptation mitigation and disaster risk management (ES-CCM-DRM) has been considered as one of the major thematic areas of LGCDP II. Besides, the entire programme of MoFALD on environment and local adaptation to climate change will be aligned with EFLG goals. Advocacy, social mobilization and programme communication activities have been proposed for each of the eight campaigns.

The Environmentally Friendly Local Governance Framework Strategy seeks to instill the idea of environmental conservation in a systematic manner on multiple levels, from central ministries right down to individual households. Moving beyond policy-level interventions, the strategy seeks to reach out to local governmental bodies and households and consolidate environmentally sustainable practices. Building greater compliance to environmental standards, greater resource and fund mobilization are among the agendas of work of EFLG. Some key aspects of the public policy include:

·      Setting up an apex-level EFLG Direction Committee formed to coordinate / create synergies among various ministries and divisions and Central Implementation Committee under MoFALD. Establishing at the district, municipality and village level, District Development Committee (DDC), municipality and Village Development Committee (VDC) EFLG Coordination Committees respectively. Strengthening capacity of District Environment, Energy and Climate Change Section to include a strong climate change focus. Establishing and mobilizing Environment Management Special Fund that will be mobilized under District Development Fund. The entire environment related management fund would be channelized into the District Environment Management Special Fund under District Development Fund.

·      Adopting a “Volunteer based approach” to encourage environmentally friendly behavior at household, ward, village and district levels. Incentives for change include letters of appreciation, accreditation of areas as “environmentally friendly areas”, other infrastructural support, and discount on taxes or performance-based grants for institutions. Organize activities that engage citizens in Poverty, Environment, Climate and Disaster risk reduction (PECD) considerations and develop comprehensive indicators at multiple levels to measure the extent of engagement. Households, Village Development Committees and District Development Committees should be engaged frequently. This includes periodic visits to households, VDCs; DDCs to encourage continuing to practice EFLG expected practices. There is a need to build on existing positive behaviors conducted by innovators (households, VDCs, DDCs or private sector) to show how EFLG behaviors can lead to increased human wellbeing.

·      Services related to EFLG focus areas (namely, in Sustainable Agriculture and promotion of greenery and beautification; Waste management and pollution control; Renewable energy and energy efficiency; Biodiversity and ecosystems conservation; Water, Sanitation and hygiene; Climate change, disaster risk reduction, sustainable urban planning and infrastructure development and Environmental governance) will roll out in parallel to the communication strategy. If no services are provided, communication activities will fail at changing behaviors. It is highly important that all stakeholders, engaged in rolling out activities conducting to EFLG goals.