Decentralisation Discourse In Nepal
Implementation Essential

By Mukti Rijal

THE country is in the state of emergency. Though technically fundamental rights of the citizens have been suspended, workshops and seminars are being organised in the capital city and outside. Most important to note is that the civil society has not been fettered to air critical views and opinions. Academics have not shied away from speaking their minds and baring out their feelings. When there exists problem at the national level and the central government is mired in trouble, local governments find their role more pronounced and active. Over the last two months several workshops and interactions have been held and new important initiatives have been undertaken at the policy level to provide effective impetus to the decentralisation process in the country. Some District Development Committees (DDCs) are busy in the periodic planning exercises to lay out a clearcut and practical road map for the development of the district through mobilisation of the local and external resources. The problems and potentials of the districts have been analysed carefully bringing the stakeholders and actors at the district together. And the plans have been formulated with benchmarks to be monitored by indicators. The enthusiasm and interest demonstrated by political parties to work in concert and coherence to finalise the periodic plans for their respective districts is a welcome development. If the major political parties agree to the periodic plan and provide inputs in its formulation process, there will be less possibility of squabbling over the agenda of development in the coming years. A written undertaking of the political parties to abide by the elements of periodic-plan provides an ample room to maintain that there will be gradual lessening of conflicts and rifts among the major political parties over the issues relating to development and prosperity of the district. Exercise undertaken for the periodic planning is very arduos, preserving, costly and time taking. In case political parties dispute over its rationale and validity, the whole exercise becomes futile. This ultimately tends to become a matter of discord.

The third Decentralisation Implementation Monitoring Committee Meeting held recently is a meaningful indicator of the government commitment to accelerate the process of decentralisation in the country. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba chaired the meeting of the committee and directed the line ministries to devolve power to the local bodies. The committee meeting decided about the devolutionary arrangement to be implemented in a time bound manner. The prime minister directed the units concerned to carryout the mandates and responsibilities being given to them. He also directed to hand over education, health, agricultural extension including livestock services, postal and infrastructure development works to the local bodies within the ongoing fiscal year in accordance with the policies adopted by the government. The Prime Minister also directed the other line ministries to prepare a time bound strategy to hand over, authority and functions in addition to the manpower needed to implement functions. The committee meeting also decided to undertake a review on the progress achieved and develop monitoring system for the works being carried out by the local bodies. The most important step taken by the committee is concerning the amendment of the laws which are contradictory with the local self governance act 1999. The meeting has also committed to take steps to implement the report of the fiscal commission.

These are very significant decisions taken by the government and at this hour of national exigency such a decision of far reaching consequences has its own meaning. However, one should bear in mind that the decisions can not take real shape unless efforts are not taken to implement them in a sincere spirit. Decentralisation itself is not a panacea to the country’s problems. It is a means to an end. It is not always sure that the attempts relating to decentralisation are successful. The success of decentralisation improves efficiency and responsiveness of the public sector. It can accommodate political forces contraposed to each other. Unsuccessful decentralisation creates problems in political and economic fronts. The argument in favour of decentralisation is that local institutions know their constituents better than authorities at the national level. They are, therefore, well positioned to provide public services local residents want and need. We in Nepal have seen that the national government has not been able to deliver services adequately at the remote hills. The quality of life has not improved over the years despite the fact there has been an infusion of enormous resources for the sake. We have pinned hope on decentralisation for improving our lot. We should handle it carefully and make ongoing efforts towards decentralisation successful. This is an opportunity left for us.

Kaviraj Khakurel: Pioneer Of Ayurvedic Hospital

By Anantayatree Shreedhar

MORE than seven decades ago, a man riding a harse was seen everyday in Kathmandu valley. He was always in the national dress with a turban printed Ram (a Hindu deity) around his head. He was a Ayurvedic doctor. He was Kaviraj Hari Prasad Khakurel whom the patients respectfully called Khakurel Baje. He was among the very few high ranking commoners who were allowed to ride a horse in Kathmandu during the Rana regime. Being a physician of high calibre, Khakural Baje was often consulted by the Rana Prime Minister and his relatives during their illness. After the advent of democracy in 1951, great changes came in many sectors of the Nepalese society. People were free to choose modern ways of eating, dressing, speaking and thinking. But Khakurel Baje did not change any of his ways and styles. He did not change his turban, horse and the method of treatment. The Kaviraj was seen in the Kathmandu streets riding a horse until his death in 1974.

He was not only a Kaviraj but also a good samaritan. You did not know when he would come with the intention of relieving you of possible diseases. He regarded pulse reading as the best method of diagnosis in medical science. He was smart in pulse reading and detected common cold, malaria, typhus or heart-weakness by it. But he did not prescribe medicine unless in dire need. He suggested natural course of simple food and rest to the patient first. And the patient was cured following his instructions. But he was a stern physician. He strictly ordered the patients to follow his instructions. He was not afraid of the Rana rulers whom nobody dared to refuse. Once he refused to accept the land given to him by the then Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher JB Rana. It is the present Naradevi Hospital premises. Instead of obeying the Prime Minister, the Kaviraj asked the Rana Premier to build an Ayurvedic hospital in that place. Now he is regarded as the father of Naradevi Hospital by the medicos. Khakurel Baje was a man of dynamic personality. In order to maintain the old Aryan culture, he opened a Brahmacharyashram (Celibates’ House) in Pashupati area. It was a boarding school based on ancient Gurukul System. In this school, the students were bound to maintain celibacy. They had to wear only loose yellow garments and they had to do household chores including milking and faggot-cleaving. They were taught Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures. The medium of teaching was Sanskrit. The institution was run by public donations which was collected by a staff every month. One of the students had to accompany the staff on such errand. Kaviraj Khakurel was a fan of Oriental civilisation. He had admitted one of his own sons in the Ashram and had made him go through all the paraphernalia of its rituals. After his death, the institution rapidly waned and the people lost interest in it. Absence of leadership, rapid growth of modern schools and the government policy of education are the causes of its failure. But people who have seen the turbanned Kaviraj riding a horse remember him and deeply regard him as the pioneer of present Naradevi Ayurvedic Hospital. It is the only government Ayurvedic hospital with enough facilities and equipment in the country.