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.

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.