Province 5: Learning the ropes of federalism
Butwal : Krishna Bhusal’s house in Padampur is about 300 meters away from an electricity transmission line. Although the house is in a sub-metropolis, it didn’t have electricity connection until recently. Bhusal knocked on the doors of the electricity and municipal offices repeatedly, but to no avail. After the local level elections in 2017, Bhusal wrote directly to ward chairman Dadhiram Neupane. The next month, five electric poles were erected close to his house. Now it’s easy for Bhusal to get electricity, telephone and internet connections.
Not just Bhusal, citizens in general can access public services easily, now that the constitution has devolved much authority to the ward offices, each one of which has five elected representative. “With ward chairs, we can make our case strongly. As our local representatives, they are compelled to fulfill our fair demands. I feel that the government is right next doors,” says Bhusal.
Now the ward office allocates budget for local development activities, including road construction. As a result, many outlying streets have been graveled. And drinking water services have been expanded. Before the local elections, something as simple as constructing a culvert would require one to lobby the district or even central offices. Such hassles are now a thing of the past.
Manikar Karki, a political analyst, says that having a government entity that responds to your queries and complaints in your immediate vicinity is the true spirit of federalism. “People now feel the presence of the government.”
Decentralization of public services has enabled provincial and local governments to spend a big portion of the national budget at their discretion. Services like education, health, agriculture and some infrastructure construction are now within the jurisdiction of the ward offices. Karki thinks that the local level government has been effectively delivering such services.
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Province 1: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 2: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 3: Learning the ropes of federalism
Gandaki: Learning the ropes of federalism
Gandaki: Learning the ropes of federalism
Pokhara : The seating of dozens of VIPs. Their felicitation with Nepali khada, garlands and vermillion powder. The elaborate speeches by dignitaries. Even for a small public function, a whole day is wasted. But they do things differently at the Madi rural municipality of Kaski district.
First, Madi has ruled that khada and garlands prepared outside the rural municipality cannot be used at public functions. Also, only the chairperson gets to speak at such functions. This saves time. Moreover, the use of local products at such functions has been a boon for the women of Tangting ward 2 who have banded together under the local Ama Samuha (‘mother’s group’).
The marigold flowers planted by 61 women over 10 ropanis of land blossom year-round. “We sell garlands whenever there is a public function. We also get orders from Pokhara and there is no risk of our flowers going unused,” says Kuldevi Gurung, the chairperson of the Ama Samuha. Recently, the group sold over 500 garlands, Rs 50 apiece, for a public function. Madi’s chairperson Bed Bahadur Gurung says the rural municipality contributed Rs 100,000 for the flower plantation initiative.
Likewise, the Rupa rural municipality of Kaski district has seen remarkable changes in recent times. Following the 2017 election, the five health posts there have been equipped with laboratories that now carry out stool, urine, sputum and blood tests. “We had to pay hefty sums and travel long distances for even basic health tests. But no more,” says Til Bahadur Thapa, a local. Rupa’s chairperson Navaraj Ojha says he is committed to appointing enough personnel at all ward offices, to connecting all wards with roads, and to providing social security to every household.
Gandaki Province Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung says the provincial government could have done so much more with more power from the center. Yet he is satisfied with what he has achieved. “We have built a basis for development. As they say, a good start is half the job done,” Gurung says. He says he is committed to spending up to 80 percent of the allotted budget.
Also Read:
Province 1: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 2: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 3: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 5: Learning the ropes of federalism
Karnali: Learning the ropes of federalism
Farwestern: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 3: Learning the ropes of federalism
Hetauda : Even though the Province 3 government has been in place for over a year, the permanent provincial capital is as yet unsettled. The provincial parliament has held endless debates on this, but to no avail.
The special committee set up to study the feasibility of a permanent capital had submitted its report to the provincial speaker on July 10, 2018. After a long delay, the report was formally tabled in the provincial parliament on Oct 8, 2018. The parliament had committed to settle the issue by the end of its yearly session on Dec 25. That could not be done either. The winter session of the provincial parliament is yet to start.
The province chief minister summons the provincial assembly after a decision to the effect by the provincial cabinet. But the provincial government is not in favor of immediately convening the parliament. “Most likely, the parliament will be summoned only after mid-February,” says Province 3 Minister for Internal Affairs and Law Salikram Jamarkattel. “We will raise the issue of the provincial capital in the inaugural meeting.”
Chief Minister Dormani Poudel has of late been mum on the issue. Those close to him say the chief minister is in favor of tiring out those in favor of moving the capital from (the temporary capital of ) Hetauda. Poudel has been lobbying with federal-level leaders not to move the capital. But some cabinet members like Jamarkattel are lobbying to shift the capital to Kavre district. “We will obey our party [Nepal Communist Party]. That said, we believe Hetauda as the capital has certain disadvantages,” he says. “Since this falls under the jurisdiction of the provincial parliament, we want the parliament to quickly settle the issue.”
The main opposition NC is numerically weak in Province 3, and so the primary reason for the dispute are internal disagreements within the ruling NCP. “The issue is as yet unresolved mostly because of our internal disagreements,” says NCP provincial MP and chairman of the capital feasibility study committee Dipak Niraula. “It is unlikely to be resolved unless the prime minister intervenes.”
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Province 1: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 2: Learning the ropes of federalism
Gandaki: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 5: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 2: Learning the ropes of federalism
Janakpurdham : Among the many acts formulated in Province 2, the one that’s been discussed the most is the Provincial Police Act. Province 2 Governer Ratneshwor Lal Kayastha signed the Provincial Police Bill, 2018 into law on December 30. The act, which was endorsed in accordance with Article 201, Sub-article (2) of the constitution, has 14 chapters, 102 clauses and 2 schedules. Clause 99 of the Act states that the operation, supervision and coordination of the provincial police will be in accordance with federal laws.
Clause 100 states that until the provincial Public Service Commission is formed, the federal Public Service Commission will carry out necessary tasks and responsibilities. Likewise, Clause 6, Sub-clause 1 states that the organization, structure and size of the provincial police force will be determined by the provincial government in consultation with the federal government.
Although the Act has been endorsed, it hasn’t been implemented. This is because the Federal Police Act hasn’t been issued and the bill on the formation of the provincial Public Service Commission hasn’t passed.
That the provincial government introduced this Act before the Federal Police Act was formulated created a lot of controversy. Some argued that in doing so Province 2 government was trying to subvert the constitution and the federal government. But Mohammad Lal Babu Raut, Chief Minister of Province 2, believes that the Act is a constitutional right for the province and will play an important role in facilitating coordination with the Center. “The constitution has bestowed this right on the provinces and we will make sure it is successfully implemented,” says Raut.
This Act is the embodiment of the provincial police force that the constitution envisions, says Dipendra Jha, Chief Attorney of Province 2. “It will bring about many positive results if the Center plays the role of a guardian and offers advice and encouragement to the provinces. The inclusive Act formulated by Province 2 can also be a good model for other provinces to emulate,” says Jha.
Also Read:
Province 1: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 3: Learning the ropes of federalism
Gandaki: Learning the ropes of federalism
Province 5: Learning the ropes of federalism
Karnali: Learning the ropes of federalism
Farwestern: Learning the ropes of federalism
