Corruption Perceptions Index 2010 (TI)

Nepal is the most corrupt country in Asia, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2010 published by the Transparency International on 26^th October 2010.
With 2.3 scores, Nepal has fell three positions down this year and stood 146th among 180 countries. Last year, Nepal was on the 143rd rank.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) measures the perceived level of public-sector corruption in 180 countries and territories around the world. The CPI is a "survey of surveys", based on various expert and business surveys.
Transparency International said that the decline in Nepal’s scores owes to the weak anti-corruption mechanism, volatile political situation and instable government.
Transparency International's CPI is the world's most credible measure of domestic, public sector corruption.
Afghanistan and Myanmar share second to last place with a score of 1.4, with Somalia coming in last with a score of 1.1.
The world's most peaceful countries score the best. In the 2010 CPI, Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore tie for first place with scores of 9.3.
The ranking is based on data from country experts and business leaders at 10 independent institutions, including the World Bank, Economist Intelligence Unit and World Economic Forum.
Transparency International says that it has seen improvements in scores from 2009 to 2010 for Bhutan, Chile, Ecuador, FYR Macedonia, Gambia, Haiti, Jamaica, Kuwait, and Qatar.
The scores of the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Madagascar, Niger and the United States have all gone down.
The CPI scores countries on a scale of zero to 10, with zero indicating high levels of corruption and 10, low levels. And the most corrupt places in the world are not the most surprising. Unstable governments, often with a legacy of conflict, continue to dominate the bottom rungs of the CPI.

Global Hunger Index- 2010

Global Hunger Index 2010, conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ranked Nepal 56^th among 84 nations.
The Global Hunger Index is based on the proportion of undernourished in population, the prevalence of underweight in children and the mortality rate of children.
India has been ranked 67th, well below China (9th), Sri Lanka (39th) and Pakistan (52nd).
Ghana at 10^th with scoring 10 points. African countries that preceded Ghana on the table are Morocco with a score of 5.8, Gabon, 6.4; the island state of Mauritius, 6.7 and South Africa, 7.3.
Other African countries which though can be found in the first 40 on the table, had scores of more than 10, are: Swaziland at number 27 with a score of 10.8, Lesotho – number 31 with a score of 12.2, Botswana at 32 with a score of 12.5, Mauritania at 35 with a score of 13.1, Namibia at 37 with a score of 13.6, Cote d’Ivoire at 38 with a score of 14.0 and Uganda at number 40 with a score of 15.0.
The other African countries that were ranked below 40 as a result of their poor scores are Congo Republic at 41 with a score of 15.2, Senegal at 43 with a GHI score of 16.8, Benin, Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Malawi, The Gambia from 44 to 49 with scores of 17.1, 17.1, 17.6, 17.8, 18.2 and 18.5 respectively.
They were followed by Mali at spot 52 with a score of 19.1, Kenya at 55 with a score of 19.8, Tanzania at 57 with a score of 20.7, Sudan – 58 with a score of 20.9, Zimbabwe also at 58 with the same score of 20.9, Burkina Faso, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, Djibouti and Mozambique taking the 61st to 66th spots with scores of 21.1, 22.4. 22.6, 23.1, 23.5 and 23.7 respectively.
The rest are Liberia at number 69 with a score of 24.3, Zambia at 20 with a score of 24.9, Niger – 72 with a score of 25.9, Angola 73 with a score of 27.2, Central African Republic at number 75 with a score of 27.4, Madagascar at 76 with a score of 27.5 and the Comoros Islands at number 77 with a score of 27.9.
At the bottom of the table are Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Chad, Eritrea, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo from 79 to 84 with scores of 28.9, 29.8, 30.9, 35.7, 38.3 and 41.0 respectively.
Ranked one to ten on the GHI table are the Syrian Arab Republic (1), Trinidad and Tobago (2), Surinam (3), Colombia (4), Georgia (5), Morocco (5), El Savador (7), Paraguay (7), China (9) and Venezuela, RB (10), with scores of 5.2, 5.3, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.8, 5.9, 5.9, 6.0 and 6.1 respectively.
Meanwhile, 38 countries not included in the ranking because they had scores of less than five and can thus be said to be self sufficient in food, are Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan and Kuwait.
Ending the list are; Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and Uruguay.

Climate Change Vulnerability Index 2010

Bangladesh and India are the countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to an index released on 20^th October 2010 that rates the Nordic region least at risk.
British consultancy Maplecroft said its rankings showed that several "big economies of the future" in Asia were among those facing the biggest risks from global warming in the next 30 years as were large parts of Africa.
It said poverty and large low-lying coastal regions prone to floods and cyclones were among factors making Bangladesh the most exposed country. India, in second place, was vulnerable because of pressures from a rising population of 1.1 billion.
Madagascar was in third place, followed by Nepal, Mozambique, the Philippines, Haiti, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Myanmar. Vietnam, in 13th place and flood-hit Pakistan in 16th were also in the most exposed group.
Norway was bottom of the list of 171 nations, least vulnerable ahead of Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Sweden and Denmark -- all rich north European nations which may initially gain from factors such as longer crop growing seasons.
The ranking combined exposure to extremes such as droughts, cyclones and mudslides, sensitivity to damage tied to poverty, population, internal conflicts and dependence on agriculture, and the capacity of a country to adapt.
The U.N. panel of climate scientists says it is at least 90 percent likely that a build-up of greenhouse gases, mainly from human use of fossil fuels, is responsible for most warming in the past 50 years.
Among major economies, the United States ranked at 129, China 49, Brazil 81 and Japan 87. Most European Union nations were low on the list, among less vulnerable countries.
The "medium risk" category included Russia (117th), the United States (129th), Germany (131st), France (133rd) and Britain (138th).
Norway led the group of 11 nations considered at least risk, which is dominated by fellow Scandinavians as well as the Netherlands, which has worked hard to defend its low-lying land from rising seas.
Maplecroft published a climate vulnerability index in 2009 that placed 28 nations at "extreme risk", headed by Somalia, Haiti, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Burundi.
Some states were left off the list because of a lack of data, including North Korea, and small island states like the Maldives that are vulnerable to rising sea levels.

World Press Freedom Index- 2010

As of 2010 World Press Freedom Index released worldwide on 20^th October 2010, the France-based media rights body has placed Nepal on the 119th position in terms of press freedom.
It had placed Nepal on the 118th position in 2009. The Index, however, has not given any specific reason behind the deteriorating state of press freedom in Nepal.
The Index reveals that press freedom India and Thailand have also been challenged. Thailand (153rd) - where two journalists were killed and some 15 wounded while covering the army crackdown on the 'red shirts' movement in Bangkok - lost 23 places, while India slipped to 122nd place from 105th position last year mainly due to extreme violence in Kashmir.
Likewise, Afganistan and Pakistan have been ranked 147th and 151st, respectively. According to the Index, Islamist groups bear much of the responsibility for their country's pitifully low ranking. “Suicide bombings and abductions make working as a journalist an increasingly dangerous occupation in this area of South Asia,” states the report, adding: “And the state has not slackened its arrests of investigative journalists, which sometimes more closely resemble kidnappings.”
Though Sri Lanka jumped four places up as compared to last year due to less violence reported there, the media´s ability to challenge the authorities has weakened with dozens of journalists being exiled, according to the Press Freedom Index.
The Index has also painted a grim picture of press freedom in communist regimes of Asia. Asia´s four communist regimes, North Korea (177th), China (171st) and Vietnam (165th), and Laos (168th) are among the fifteen lowest-ranked countries in the 2010 World Press Freedom Index.
Laos, Rwanda, Yemen, China, Sudan, Syria, Burma, Iran, Turkeministan, North Korea and Eritrea have been ranked among 10 countries at the bottom of the index.

Palpa : highest performer among all districts

Palpa is the highest performer among all districts, according to the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD).

Palpa has stood first, securing 90 out of 100 marks, in the performance evaluation of different local bodies, municipalities and District Development Committees conducted by the Financial Commission under MoLD.

The achievement means Palpa will get additional 30 percent budget from MoLD in the current fiscal year.

Palpa was declared first for its activities on good governance, communication and welfare of Dalit and indigenous nationalities.

Out of 65 Palpali VDCs, 60 have passed the minimum criteria. Among 16 districts of the Western Development Region, 11 failed to make their names.

(Palpa, 1 Oct 2010)

पाल्पा जिल्ला देशभरिमा प्रथम

न्यूनतम मापदण्ड सर्त र कार्यसम्पादन मूल्यांकनमा नेपाल राज्यभरमा पाल्पा जिल्ला पहिलो जिल्ला भएको छ ।

स्थानीय निकायहरू गाविस, नगर र जिविसका कार्यसम्पादन मूल्यांकन गर्ने स्थानीय विकास मन्त्रालय मातहतको स्वतन्त्र निकाय स्थानीय वित्तीय आयोगले सार्वजनिक गरेको नतिजामा पाल्पा जिल्ला पहिलो भएको जनाइएको छ ।

मापनको १०० पूर्णाङ्क भएकोमा पाल्पाले ९० पूर्णाङ्क ल्याएर पहिलो भएको हो ।

देशभरमा पहिलो भएपछि पाल्पा जिल्लाले स्थानीय विकास मन्त्रालयबाट चालु आर्थिक वर्षमा ३० प्रतिशत बजेट थप पाउने भएको छ ।

स्थानीय सुशासन, सञ्चार, दलित, जनजाति आदिवासीलगायतका लक्षित वर्गमा सञ्चालन भएको कार्यक्रममा उत्कृष्ट भएवापत पाल्पा जिल्ला प्रथम भएको हो ।

जिल्लाका ६५ गाविसमध्ये ६० गाविस न्यूनतम सर्त मापनमा पास भएको छ ।

पास भएका गाविसले समेत श्रेणीअनुसार रकम थप पाउने भएका छन् ।

पश्चिमाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्रका १६ जिल्लामध्ये पाल्पा प्रथम भएको छ भने कपिलवस्तुसहित ११ जिल्ला फेल भएका छन् ।

वित्तीय विकेन्द्रीकरणको अगुवाका रूपमा मानिने आयोगले स्वतन्त्र मूल्यांकनकर्ताको अध्ययनका आधारमा २०६४ सालयता स्थानीय निकायले वार्षिक रूपमा कामको मूल्यांकन गर्दै आएको छ ।

जिल्लाले आर्थिक वर्षमा गरेको नतिजाको आधारमा स्थानीय निकायको अनुदान पक्का हुने गरेको छ ।

चालीसवटा कार्य सम्पादन र १३ वटा न्यूनतम सर्तको सूचकका आधारमा मूल्यांकनकर्ताले स्थानीय निकायको वित्तीय अनुगमन गर्ने गर्दछ ।

(पाल्पा, १५ असोज २०६७)

काठमाडौं २०६७ (सन् २०१०) मा ५८ औं स्थानमा

देशकै एक मात्र महानगर न्यूनतम सर्त र कार्यसम्पादन मूल्यांकनमा सबैभन्दा अन्तिम अर्थात् ५८ औं स्थानमा परेको छ । देशभरका ५८ नगरमध्ये गत वर्ष महानगर संखुवासभाको खाँदबारीलाई उछिन्दै ५७ औं स्थानमा परेको थियो तर यस वर्ष ५७ औं स्थानबाट पनि ओरालो लाग्दै महानगर पुछारमा पुगेको हो ।
स्थानीय निकायहरू गाविस, नगर र जिविसका कार्यसम्पादन मूल्यांकन गर्ने स्थानीय विकास मन्त्रालय मातहतको स्वतन्त्र निकाय 'स्थानीय वित्तीय आयोग' ले सार्वजनिक गरेको आर्थिक वर्ष ०६५/०६६ को नतिजा अनुसार काठमाडौं महानगर असफल नगरको सूचीमा परेको हो ।
दमक, घोराही, तुलसीपुर, वीरेन्द्रनगर, हेटौंडा, रत्ननगर, नारायण (दैलेख), वालिङ, टीकापुर, तानसेन, धरान, धनकुटा, भरतपुर र कीर्तिपुर गरी १४ वटा नगरपालिका उत्कृष्ठ अंक प्राप्त गर्नेमा परेका छन् । तीमध्ये दमक, घोराही र तुलसीपुर नगरपालिका उत्कृष्ठ तीन नगरपालिकामा परेका छन् । यी नगरपालिकाले १ लाख पुरस्कार पाउनेछन् ।
बाँकी ११ वटाले ७५ हजार पुरस्कार प्राप्त गर्ने छन् । पुरस्कारसहित चौधवटै नगरपालिकाले स्थानीय विकास मन्त्रालयबाट चालू आर्थिक वर्ष थप २५ प्रतितश अनुदान पाउने छन् । यो रकम उनीहरूको क्षेत्रफल, गरिबी र करका आधारमा आयोगले तय गर्ने छ । अनुदान प्राप्त गर्ने नगरपालिकाहरूले रकम विकास निर्माणमा मात्रै खर्च गर्नु पर्छ ।
असफल नगरको सूचीमा दरिएको महानगरले सरकारबाट प्राप्त गर्ने २२ करोड ५० लाखभन्दा बढी अनुदान पनि गुमाएको छ । यदि महानगर उत्कृष्ठको सूचीमा परेको भए २२ करोड ५० लाख अनुदान प्राप्त गथ्र्यो । यो नतिजा ५८ वटै नगरपालिकाको आर्थिक वर्ष ०६५/०६६ को कारोबारमा आधारित छ । वीरगन्ज, गौर, राजविराज र मलंगवा नगरपालिका पनि असफलताको सूचीमा परेका छन् । यी चारवटा नगरपालिकाको पनि पुँजीगत अनुदान कटौती भएको छ । अनुदान चालू आर्थिक वर्षसँग जोडिन्छ । १४ वटा नगरपालिका १० प्रतिशत अनुदान प्राप्त गर्ने सूचीमा परेका छन् भने १० प्रतिशत अनुदान कटौतीमा १५ र २५ प्रतिशत अनुदान कटौतीमा १० वटा नगरपालिका परेका छन् ।
आयोगले सार्वजनिक गरेको नतिजाअनुसार महानगर १३ वटा न्यूनत सर्तहरू पालनामा असफल भएको हो । १३ वटा सर्तमध्ये महानगरले ६ वटा मात्रै पालना गरेको थियो । योजना, बजेट तथा परिषद्मा ढिलाइ, कर र आयस्रोतको अभिलेख नराखेको, नगरस्तरीय प्रगति समीक्षा र तोकिएको समयभित्र लेखा परीक्षण नगरेको, वाषिर्क र गुरु खरिद योजना स्वीकृत नगराई काम गरेको, सम्पत्तिहरूको व्यवस्थापन नगरेको र बेरुजु फछ्र्योटमा ढिलाइ गरेका कारण महानगर अन्तिममा परेको हो । पदपूर्ति समिति, नगरपालिका कोष, नागरिक बडापत्र, भवन निर्माण अनुमति व्यवस्था, आयव्यय, करका दस्तुर सार्वजनिक लेखा समिति, राजस्व परामर्श समिति र पदपूर्ति समितिमा सुधार भएकाले यसमा महानगरले ६ नम्बर प्राप्त गरेको छ ।
अर्को कार्यसम्पादन सूचकमा भने २७ औं स्थानमा छ । कुल १ सय पूर्णाकं मा महानगरले ५७ नम्बर प्राप्त गरेको छ तर १३ वटा न्यूनतम सर्त पालनामा असफल भएकाले २७ औं स्थानको कुनै अर्थ रहँदैन ।
कार्यसम्पादनमा महानगरले आचारसंहिता, सम्पत्ति विवरण, सार्वजनिक परीक्षण, सार्वजनिक सुनुवाइ, राजस्व सम्भाव्यता अध्ययन, आय-व्ययको यथार्थ बजेट र कार्यान्वन, एकीकृत सम्पत्ति कर, सम्भाव्यता अध्ययन लगायतका सूचक पालना गरेको थियो ।
आयोगले महानगर असफल हुनुमा कर्मचारी बढी जिम्मेवार रहेको जनाएको छ । वित्तीय विकेन्द्रीकरणको अगुवाका रूपमा मानिने आयोगले स्वतन्त्र मूल्यांकनकर्ताहरूको अध्ययनको आधारमा ०६४ सालयता स्थानीय निकायको वाषिर्क मूल्यांकन गर्दै आएको छ । यसैको नतिजाका आधारमा स्थानीय निकायहरूको अनुदान तय गरिन्छ ।
१३ वटा न्यूनतम सर्त र ४० वटा कार्यसम्पादन सूचकका आधारमा मूल्यांकनकर्ताले स्थानीय निकायको वित्तीय अनुगमन गर्छ ।

(२०१० सेप्टेम्बर २९, असोज २०६७)