Twenty six rural municipalities of Issyk-Kul and Jalal-Abad oblasts will be granted 1 million soms each
In early April 2014 "Strengthening Voice and Accountability of Citizens’ Participation and Oversight of Budget Processes" Project in the Kyrgyz Republic (VAP), funded by the Swiss Government in partnership with the British Department for International Development and implemented by Development Policy Institute, summarized the Small Grants Program 2014 Competition results and allocated the prize pool of 26 million soms.
“It is crucial for local budgets to be based on priorities of population and to address the most urgent problems of the local community. VAP helps LSGs to introduce the Local community engagement in budget process Model (Model), which is based on obligatory local needs assessment and participatory budgeting. VAP’s Small Grant Program is a part of this Model, a sort of “training device” that is used by LSGs to design and implement projects, based entirely on the population needs and chosen by the citizens from a variety of options. In other words, in order to win the grant competition, a municipality has to go through all the stages of the community engagement Model, have local community decide which project should be presented for grant co-funding. Participation in the grant program requires a lot of efforts of the municipality, proofs that LSG make budget information public, perform in a transparent manner. Another important feature of this grant program is that all funds are transferred to the local budget. Thus, grant funds become a real property of the local community in management of LSGs. And LSGs bear full responsibility for funds management, project implementation as a part of their mandate – to resolve local priorities. Such a mechanism teaches the municipalities to manage investment projects, to plan capital budget and to make state procurement in accordance with the legislation” - says Bekbolot BEKIEV, VAP Team Leader.
In 2013 VAP received in total 37 applications for the competition, including 23 applications were from aiyl aimaks of Jalal-Abad oblast and 14 applications from the rural municipalities of Issyk-Kul oblast.
The Steering Commission consisted of representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ministry of Finance, the State Agency for Construction and Regional Development under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Union of Local Self-Governments of the Kyrgyz Republic, NGO "Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society", Development Policy Institute and the VAP. The commission examined 35 applications that have passed preliminary review for eligibility criteria and put the grades. According to the evaluations 26 applications were identified winners based on scoring. (see full list below).
Based on the Commission decision, co-funding was allocated for projects aimed at improving conditions for pre-school education (kindergarten), drinking and irrigation water, repair of roads, improvement of rural schools, support for youth, street lighting, landscaping and gardening, addressing specific issues of power supply. Each of these projects will make life in Kyrgyz villages safer and more convenient, and some will work for the future of the country.
The list of aiyl aimaks in Jalal-Abad and Issyk-Kul oblasts that won in the 2013 VAP Small grant competition:
1. “Happy childhood”, Oktyabrskyi АА, Ak-Suu rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
2. “Clean water – life-spring”, Kok-Tash АА, Ala-Buka rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
3. “Clean society – clean life”, Bazar-Korgon АА, Bazar-Korgon rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
4. “Clean water – life-spring”, Т. Baltagulov АА, Ala-Buka rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
5. “Good road – reflection of decent life”, Kok-Serek АА, Ala-Buka rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
6. “Rising generation – aim of development policy”, Terek-Sai, Chatkal rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
7. “Irrigation water – precondition of a rich harvest”, Ulahol АА, Ton rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
8. “Roofing of secondary school”, Kara-Oi АА, Issyk-Kul rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
9. “Overhaul of school heating system - improving health of younger generation”, Suzak AA Suzak rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
10. “Irrigation water - source of a rich harvest”, Jany-Jol AA, Toktogul rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
11. “Village culture in cleanness”, Kara-Suu AA, Aksy rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
12. “Respect for water - self-respect”, Kara-Jygach AA, Aksy rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
13. “Overhaul of the House of Culture in the village”, Ak-Dyubinsky AA, Jeti-Oguz rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
14. "Clean water - the guarantee of health”, Bosteri AA, Issyk-Kul rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
15. “Our future - the youth”, Toguz-Toro AA, Toguz-Toro rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
16. “Repair of the water supply network”, Tash-Kerege AA, Ak-Suu rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
17. “Kelechek" construction completion of the meeting hall at school for school and other local public meetings, Mombekov AA, Nooken rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
18. “Cleanliness begins with the village”, Akman AA, Bazar-Kurgan rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
19. “Beam that gives the light”, Sumsar AA, Chatkal rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
20. “Installing the transformer substation and replacement of power lines in new village suburbs”, Taldy-Suu AA, Tyup rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
21. “Bright village”, Chatkal AA, Chatkal rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
22. “Construction fencing school territory”, Ak-Shyirak AA, Jeti-Oguz rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
23. “Happy is that people, that has water”, Jerge-Tal AA, Aksy rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast;
24. “School is a center of culture”, Chon-Tash AA, Tyup rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
25. “Landscaping territory of the monument”, Chon-Sary-Oi AA, Issyk-Kul rayon, Issyk-Kul oblast;
26. “Ensuring supply of electricity, corresponding to the standards - a way to create new infrastructures”, Ketmen-Dobo AA, Toktogul rayon, Jalal-Abad oblast.
For detailed information: Development Policy Institute Public Relations specialist, Nurgul Djamankulova, tel.: (0555) 313-385, (0770) 771-711, email: njamankulova@dpi.kg, website: www.vap.kg, www.dpi.kg
