Importance and Obstacles in People's Participation in Building Infrastructres
Subject: Social Studies
Overview
People’s participation is very important in building infrastructures in Nepal. This note contains a description of importance and obstacles in people's participation in building infrastructures.Importance and Obstacles in People's Participation in Building Infrastructres
People's Participation in Building Structures
A powerhouse was built with an INGO's assistance and people's voluntary contribution in Southern Baglung, where most of the people couldn't grow enough food to last a year. The local people wanted to see the water expelled out by the powerhouse. They formed a Water User Group. An irrigation scheme was using the local labor and material. In that scheme, richer people had to sell land to the group and landless people worked in the scheme, and could then buy some land and share in the water. A local manager and 25000 shares and members of the group own as many shares as they need. They can now grow crops all year round and earn money to pay off loans, pay for running of the scheme and contribute to improvements.
A group of ladies in Gorkha district learned to read. They collected money and bought a small collection of books. A small membership fee is charged so that the library can have more books and older books can be properly maintained. Books for fun and information are provided. A small group of volunteers issue books, organize finance and purchase more books.
In Patan, volunteers run community libraries with books for study, fun, and general information. They are in rooms where young people can study in the evening. A small membership fee is charged.
Importance
People's participation is very important in building infrastructures in Nepal. Vast resources like land, forest, water, minerals need to be exploited properly. Due to lack of capital, large-scale projects cannot be started easily. But governmental and non-governmental agencies can make the investment if people participate. Projects are successful and their sustainability is ensured when people participate in the constructions. The consumers think that the projects are theirs and for themselves so that they take better care of the same.
Obstacles
It is difficult to build developmental infrastructures in Nepal because:
- Funding is difficult due to widespread poverty.
- Capital cannot be generated inside the country due to the trend of excessive dependency on the external sources, grants, donations, and loans.
- Projects are affected due to lack of technology and technically skilled manpower.
- Constructions are damaged due to disasters like landslide and flood.
- Corruptions and irregularities are common.
- People are not aware of their responsibility and the need and importance of their participation.
Things to remember
- People’s participation is very important in building infrastructures in Nepal.
- Projects are better successful and their sustainability is ensured when people participate in the constructions.
- Widespread poverty, excessive dependency on the external sources, lack of technology and technically skilled manpower, corruptions and irregularities, damage of constructions due to disasters, etc are the obstacles for developmental infrastructures in Nepal.
- It includes every relationship which established among the people.
- There can be more than one community in a society. Community smaller than society.
- It is a network of social relationships which cannot see or touched.
- common interests and common objectives are not necessary for society.
Videos for Importance and Obstacles in People's Participation in Building Infrastructres
Kapilvastu School Building - PAF Nepal
We Build The Road. The Road Builds Us. - a story of shramadana in Nepal.
Questions and Answers
Who can provide the capital for the irrigation scheme?
A bank can provide loan for the irrigation scheme. The consumer also contribute some.
Who can pays for the repair of canals?
The consumer themselves pay for the repair of canals.
What has been the main benefit for landless people?
The landless peoples worked in the scheme, earned money, bought some land and have share in the scheme.
Why is the library important ? Should the government make this a priority?
A library is a good source of knowledge. A wide range of books are available there. Newspapers and magazines are about current affairs. Knowledge in every field can be obtained from a well stock library. The books are accessible and affordable for all. Using library is a method of continuing learning for many people. So the government should make this a priority .
The reports are all about cooperatives. Write down your own definition of a cooperative and say why they are so important in Nepal.
A cooperative is a group of people who jointly own a business, run it and share benefits. Most Nepalese people lack capital for mobilizing their resources. But, when they are united in a cooperative, they can raise funding from their collective contribution. They can also get loan from financial institutions more easily. So it is the only method for poor people to create self-employment opportunities and raise their economic level. To mention the fact , cooperatives have been very active and popular in the country over the last 15 years.
The following table repeats the obstacles of Nepal’s infrastructure development from the lesson. Complete it with possible methods to tackle them
Problems
Lack of capital
Lack of poor technology
Lack skilled manpower
Destruction by natural calamities
Corruption
Unaware citizens
Problems |
Lack of capital |
Lack of poor technology |
Lack skilled manpower |
Destruction by natural calamities |
Corruption |
Unaware citizens |
| Problems | solutions |
| Lack of capital | Raise funding from internal and external sources, encourage public participation. |
| Lack of poor technology | Prioritize science and technology. |
| Lack skilled manpower | Give training for the available jobs, encourage vocational and technical education. |
| Destruction by natural calamities | Control floods and landslide through afforestation, embankment, etc. |
| Corruption | Develop good governance, bring strong laws against power abuse. |
| Unaware citizens | Raise awareness programme, make ordinary people responsible for development. |
Quiz
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