csp_ii_workshop2March 13, Kathmandu.

A half day review, planning and sharing workshop of Community Support Programme (CSP) was held on 12 March 2012 in Kathmandu. The programme was jointly organised by the Ministry of Local Development and Community Support Programme Coordination Committee to review the CSP-II results and share the lessons learnt on empowerment, transparency and accountability and forward planning with government and other stakeholders.

Mr. Govinda Neupane, Programme Coordinator of CSP from DFID shared the achievements and main features of the extended CSP-II project. He revealed that, the CSP has provided drinking water facilities to 110 thousand households and irrigation to 68 thousand households so far. He also notified that the CSP provided school facility improvement schemes in 3 thousands communities which has benefited to 603 thousand households. Mr. Neupane said that, 13 thousand households have been directly benefited through income generating schemes under CSP project. According to him, more than 819 thousand households have been benefited directly from the CSP support so far.

Mr. Neupane also presented the key features of the CSP-II extended phase along with the 'Forward Coordination Plan'. He said that, CSP shall be focused on the promotion of Government ownership in the development project to enhance the sustainability and accountability.

Mr. Kulchandra Dahal, Programme Director of RRN/CSP shared the project targets, achievements and forward plan of the extended CSP-II project. Meanwhile Mr. Jay Shankar Lal, Programme Coordinator of CARE/CSP shared the lesson learnt in empowerment, transparency and accountability from the CSP. They shared their experiences about how the provisions of Public Auditing and Information Board at the project sites played a significant role to enhance the transparency and accountability; where as the Citizen Awareness Centres (CACs) are the main vehicle for community empowerment.

Mr. Ramesh Adhikari, Under Secretary of Ministry of Local Development presented the 'Forward Coordination Plan' of MLD/CSP.

Mr. Tirtha Raj Dhakal, Joint Secretary and LGCDP National Programme Director suggested that there should be a cross learning opportunity between LGCDP and CSP. He suggested that, the LGCDP needs to learn from the CSP process, particularly from the Livelihood Implementation Plan (LIP) of CSP.

Dr. Arjun Karki, President of RRN said that CSP is facilitating the Government on the one hand and implementing development project on the other.

Mr. Dominic O. Neill, the Head of DFID Nepal and Mr. Jaydeep Biswas, Governance Advisor of DFID Nepal also shared their views and concerns about the Community Support Programme.

The programme was chaired by Mr. Deenesh K. Thapalia, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Local Development. More than 30 participants representing line ministries of Nepal Government, DFID/UK aid, Care Nepal, RRN and others national stake holders of the CSP-II attended the programme.

Community Support Programme (CSP) is funded by Department of International Development (DFID)/UK aid and implemented by Rural Reconstruction Nepal (RRN) and CARE Nepal. CSP was originally started in June 2003 with the purpose of supporting the immediate development needs of the poor and excluded people, affected by the armed conflict in 39 districts spreading across the far-west, mid-west, western and eastern development regions of Nepal. The second phase of the CSP (CSP II) was extended from 2010 to 2012 focusing on capacity building and empowerment of the poor and marginalized community to increase their access to basic services in 44 districts across the country. Now the CSP II is proposed to extend for another 2 years adopting new strategies with the emphasis on promotion of government ownership on community development for enhancing sustainability and building harmony with the Local Governance and Community Development Programme (LGCDP).

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