19th Annual General Meeting and Social Audit Program of LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter was held in Kathmandu on 31st July 2012.
Mr. Keshav Sthapit, Chief Guest Commissioner of Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, speaking in the inaugural session of the 19th Annual General Meeting, said the evicted squatter families of Thapathali settlement will be gradually resettled in the other suitable squatter settlement as temporary relocation. Sooner some families will be shifted in Manohara Community of Bhaktapur, he added. On his remarks he also stressed the need of private sector partnership for integrated urban development.
Mr. Pralhad Pant, Assistant Director, Social Welfare Council, on his remarks said, out of registered 36000 NGOs and 250 INGOs working in the country, only few numbers of NGOs are working with the true spirit and LUMANTI is one of them. There are numerous NGOs in Nepal that has been working without notifying the authority, he said. We have come across many news through different media about the transparency lacking in NGOs, the program like Social Audit that LUMANTI has been conducting is appreciable and replicable which should be conducted by every organization to show that they are in the right track, he added.
Speaking on the same occasion, Human Rights Activist Mr. Kapil Shrestha said, in this event we have got the opportunity to hear the affirmative comments which is highly appreciable. Highlighting the essentiality of networking with wider group, he said, LUMANTI is not only a small NGO now, it has developed itself as a bigger network and as it has been also working in the different sectors including people rights to shelter there is the necessity of expansion and collaboration with the human rights organization as well.
President of LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter Mr. Prafulla Man Singh Pradhan on his closing remarks stressed the need of innovative approach of different option for rental accommodation to addressing growing urbanization in Kathmandu. He added, housing business has flourished in Kathmandu but it has not been able to address the problem of urbanization just because they are supply driven. As such for urban development, housing should be demand driven rather than supply driven, he said.
On the occasion, Executive Board Member Mr. Padam Lal Shrestha has delivered the welcome remarks and vote of thanks was delivered by the Advisor Mr. Narayan Prasad Bhattarai. Executive Director and General Secretary of LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter Ms. Lajana Manandhar presented the annual progress report and is followed by financial progress report by the Admin and Finance Manager Mr. Gyanil Shakya.
The meeting had also elected seven-member Executive Committee for 2012-2014 in Chairmanship of Mr. Prafulla Man Singh Pradhan.
The Executive Committee Members elected through the meeting are as follows:
President: Mr. Prafulla Man Singh Pradhan
Vice-President: Ms. Eliza Baidhya
General Secretary: Ms. Lajana Manandhar
Treasurer: Ms. Sajana Amatya Shakya
Executive Member: Ms. Sushma Bajracharya
Executive Member: Mr. Padma Lal Shrestha
Executive Member: Mr. Anil Sthapit
