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.

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