Pokhara, 13 February | Pokhara Metropolitan City has secured the fourth position among the six metropolitan cities of Nepal in the annual performance evaluation conducted by the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission (NNRFC). According to the results released based on 17 diverse indicators, Pokhara obtained a score of 58.76 points. Biratnagar Metropolitan City of Morang district claimed the top spot this year with an impressive 78.11 points, followed by Lalitpur Metropolitan City in second place with 76.33 points.
The evaluation report indicates that Bharatpur Metropolitan City of Chitwan stood third with 68.04 points, while Pokhara settled for the fourth spot due to its average performance across several metrics. Following Pokhara, Birgunj Metropolitan City ranked fifth with 54 points, while the federal capital, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, appeared as the weakest among the six, scoring only 44.97 points. The NNRFC primarily assessed the local levels on their ability to present their budgets by July 25, pass them by mid-July, mobilize revenue effectively, and manage financial irregularities (Beruju), alongside the implementation of the “SUTRA” accounting software.
Furthermore, social indicators such as student enrollment rates, retention rates in Grade 9, SEE results, immunization coverage among children, and the ratio of women receiving maternal health check-ups were crucial factors in the scoring process. Pokhara’s middle-of-the-pack ranking highlights a need for more robust interventions in financial management and social service delivery compared to Biratnagar and Lalitpur. This annual assessment is significantly important for local governments as it serves as the primary basis for the federal government’s recommendation for Fiscal Equalization Grants in the upcoming fiscal year.
