Kathmandu, Apr. 26: The newly elected working committee of the Association of District Development Committees Nepal (ADDC/N) has handed in a 19-point memorandum to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, president of the Federation Krishna Prasad Sapkota said at a press conference held here yesterday.

The memorandum incorporates demands endorsed by the recently held 3rd general convention of the federation including sanctioning without any alteration of the plans and programmes forwarded by the District Council in keeping with the spirit of the local Self Governance Act, prevention of the tendency of allocating the budget through another channel, release of revenue allocation funds to the DDC through the respective district in accordance with the provisions of the act, raising ceilings and rates of tax that contradict the spirit of the act as per recommendations made by the  problem solution committee.

The federation has asked for the launching of programmes such as the women’s awareness campaign, Bisheswar With the Poor and the Ganeshman Peace Campaign through local bodies, and for establishing of the powers of the DDC in accordance with the Local Autonomy Act by dissolving the river inundation control committee, water resources committee, trainees selection committee  under the cottage and small industry development committee and development monitoring committee formed under the chairmanship of the chief district officer in contravention to the act.

The practise of irregular freight charges by private airliners operating in Karnali zone and other remote areas should be curbed, president of the federation and Kabhre DDC president Krishna Prasad Sapkota said.

The convention has elected a 23-member new working committee under the chairmanship of Sapkota.

Risiraj Lumsali has been elected vice president and Krishna Prasad Jaishi spokesman of the committee.

The committee includes Arjun Rai, president of Jhapa DDC, Lilanath Shrestha, vice president of Siraha DDC, Tulsi Prasad Nyoupane, president of Sankhuwasabha DDC, Govinda Duwal, president of Bhaktapur DDC, Tej Narayan Yadav, president of Mahottari DDC, Rajiuddin Alam, vice president of Rautahat DDC, Ramesh Sharma, president of Kapilvastu DDC, Nirmal Kumar Gauchan, president of Mustang DDC, and Chitra Bahadur Thapa, vice president of Tanahu DDC as members.

Similarly, the other members of the committee are Deep Bahadur Shahi, president of Kalikot DDC, Bom Bahadur Khatri, president of Pyuthan DDC, Tek Bahadur Khand, president of Dailekh DDC, Bharat Bahadur Khadka, president of Doti DDC, Maya Bhatta, member of Baitadi DDC, Tirtha Bahadur Budha, president of Jumla DDC, Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, president of Hulma DDC, Lal Kumar K.C., President of Dolakha DDC, Jagannath Thapaliya, vice president of Chitwan DDC, Rajendra Prasad Agrahari, member of Nawalparasi DDC and Madhav Poudel, ex-chairman of the Federation.