Rural municipalities of Osh and Naryn oblasts identifying investment priorities at the village gatherings
PRESS RELEASE
January 16, 2018
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
During the period of January 16 – 28, 2018, the residents of rural municipalities of Osh and Naryn oblasts will identify the priority issues for solution by allocation of local budget funds. Meetings are supported by the “Voice of Citizens and Accountability of LSG: budgetary process” Project funded by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the Development Policy Institute (VAP)1. The LSG bodies will be conducting village gatherings for local communities to select priority issues improvement projects to be funded from the local budget with attracting investments. One of the potential investments sources is the pool of the VAP Small Grant Program. All funds of the pool will be allocated among applied LSGs on a competitive basis.
“This year the amount of 35 million soms will be allocated under the Small Grant Program among municipalities. All rural municipalities of Osh and Naryn oblasts can apply to win 1 million som for improvement of the top priority in their communities. Each Aiyl Okmotu can send two applications (1 million pre each application-priority) to receive two grants for solving two different issues prioritized by residents. The grant funds will be transferred to LSG bodies’ accounts and should be strictly aimed at improving the living conditions of local communities. Applications should be aligned with the priorities of local communities identified earlier by the LSG bodies (Participatory rural assessment). Thus, the grant program helps LSGs to become accountable to local communities and engage citizens in the decision making process, which matches up the main goal of the VAP Project have LSGs managing finances in a more transparent and effective mode through greatly increased accountability and citizen participation.”- commented Sultan Mairambekov, VAP Project Grants Specialist.
Broad information campaigns are being conducted by LSGs with the technical support of the VAP Project to involve a maximum number of residents to participate in the village gatherings and in the selection of projects. Invitations to the village gatherings, posters are distributed among the villagers, the banners are hung out in public places to ensure awareness. The Aiyl Okmotus’ representatives and activists prepare their presentations and arguments to convince the majority of gatherings’ participants to vote for their projects.
Details: Nurgul Jamankulova, VAP PR Specialist
Tel.: +996(770) 771-711, e-mail: NJamankulova@dpi.kg, web-site: www.vap.kg
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1 Details are available at www.vap.kg