KATHMANDU, March 20: Outgoing Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal has said the government failed to award the contract for a 400-bed hospital at the Rapti Academy of Health Sciences in Dang.
While presenting a tenure completion report on behalf of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Khanal listed ongoing and incomplete projects, noting that the hospital contract could not be finalized.
He explained that although the project required a contract exceeding the budget allocated for the current fiscal year, the absence of multi-year funding approval prevented the process from moving forward.
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Khanal also warned that the allocated budget may remain unspent, stressing the need for a solution. Without resource assurance for multi-year projects, the 400-bed hospital building risks being stalled. Around Rs 880 million allocated for the project could be frozen.
The academy, a key center for health and education services, has been struggling to expand due to the lack of infrastructure. Despite adding specialized services, uncertainty persists as construction of the new hospital building has yet to begin.
Acting Vice-Chancellor and Registrar Prof. Shyam Lamsal said the institution has completed all necessary preparations and submitted them to the concerned authorities. He expressed confidence that the incoming government would address the issue and move the project forward, emphasizing the need for collective support from stakeholders.
