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VOL. 27, NO. 39, June 13 , 2008 (Jestha 31 2065 B.S.)
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Learning The Steps
Senior bureaucrats of the country visit India to learn the experiences about federalism functioning in India
By A CORRESPONDENT
At a time when Nepal has been debating over the issue of federalism in the new constitution making, a high level team led by Secretary of Ministry of General Administration, Dr. Ram Hari Aryal recently made a trip to India to observe the functioning of federal structure in India.
By visiting various Indian administrative academies, states and central departments, the delegation of Nepalese civil servants came face to face with the practical experiences on how power is devolved between state and center.
Following their visit, the Indian Embassy organised an interaction program to discuss about federalism. The interaction was attended by leaders of various political parties, members of Constituent Assembly, intellectuals, civil society members and media.
"The focus of the visit of the delegation of senior government of Nepal officers on federalism is particularly relevant, and will continue to be so as Nepal gets down to drafting a new constitution which will be based on inclusive and institutionalized democracy and marry the aspirations of a pluralistic society within a federal set up," said Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood.
Although Nepalese officials have a long experience of working under the power devolution scheme, they have hardly any idea about the functioning under the federal structure.
"We have learnt immensely from our visit. In our interactions with the officials in the states of Goa, Maharastra and Delhi and officials of central government, we understood the challenges and difficulties faced in the federal state," said Dr. Ram Hari Aryal, Secretary at the Ministry of General Administration and leader of five member delegation.
Organized under the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Program by Indian Embassy, the two-weeks-long visit helped Nepali senior civil servants to observe the nature of Indian civil service and process of its modernization.
"Indian civil service functions as a permanent government and the officials always maintain complete neutrality. Whichever political parties come to power, civil service in India serves them objectively," said Bhagawati Prasad Kafle, Secretary at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority and a member of the delegation.
"Indian civil service is in the process of ensuring inclusiveness," said Brinda Hada Bhattarai, Secretary at the Cabinet Secretariat. "One of the very important aspects of Indian civil service is that it continues to serve as a permanent institution."
Along with federalism, new concepts of power devolution to the grass root level is also gradually taking shape. India has been experimenting with local government as Panchayati Raj within the federal structures.
"Although the local bodies are under the control of state government and state devolves power to them, local bodies, too, have been functioning perfectly with the massive participation of the people from grass root level," said Dr. Aryal. " India's experience is going to be very helpful for us in the process of constitution making."
From judiciary to administrative units, the federalism consists of very complex matters. The devolution of power, budgets allocations and relations between state and center, there are all kinds of complexities.
"This visit was organized by government of India under the request of government of Nepal," said Pranaya Burma, counselor of Indian Embassy. "We have already organized such visiting programs for the Local Development Officers of all 75 districts."
"The scholars, high officials and politicians in India suggested us to take care in the course of carving Nepal as a federation," said Dr. Aryal.
