Messed-up rich govt trust with 5 computers in Nepal

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 6

The offices of the Guthi Corporation (GC), culturally most valuable institution administering the religious shrines and cultural activities, are equipped with only five computers across the country. Despite its initiation in 2002, a plan to set up Guthi Management Information System has been still paralysed after the government failed to allocate budget in time.

According to the GC central office, the proposal was tendered consecutively to the National Planning Commission in 2003 to establish GSIM and Guthi Records Building with a proposed estimated budget of Rs 8.5 million.

"There is no specific data and records of Guthis and its entities belonging to number of trusts, temples, assets, cultural monuments and other amenities due to the lack of data keeping records and appropriate building," said Saroj Thapalia, deputy administrator at the GC. "Everything is messed here in the absence of a proper system," he told this daily.

The plan was included in the NPC, which was extended as three-year tenth plan after the end of five-year tenth plan in 2006, only in the fiscal year 2006/07. However, no budget was allocated for the purpose then.

"The Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Rs 1.5 million in the last fiscal year only," said Thapalia. "The amount has been issued in the current fiscal year," he added. "We are preparing to invest this amount to develop basic amenities and infrastructure."

The GC under the Ministry of Land Reforms owns only five computers presently in 10 branches including one in Birgunj of the corporation located in seven districts. Of them, five offices are situated in the Kathmandu Valley. There are about 2,100 state trusts (Guthis) in 68 districts among 75 districts across the nation.

Earlier, there were only two computers in the central office while one computer was added last year. "One is being added this year," said Thapaliya.

The GC is not furnished with any data nor its website is enriched with important information. The government has owed the GC Rs 1.25 billion, according to the GC, which has deposited Rs 1.5 billion in the bank. "Neither the government returns our fund nor it proceeds its work as per the plan," said Thapalia.

Thapalia said that there was only six months remaining to end the first tenure of the plan. "It needs additional three and half years to complete the project," he worried.

There are about 1.5 million ropanies of land under some 2,100 Guthis throughout the nation. "It has been completely a scare-crow organisation," said legal officer Hem Raj Subedi. "The responsibility of the GC is to work on preserving culture, festivals and trusts. However, it is confined to land administration against its objective," he said, adding that maintaining its inventory has become a mirage.