World Bank and ADB are pressing Nepal hard in raising the tariff rate(s) of electricity, telephone and drinking water

-Prof. Soorya Lal Amatya

His long stint in the educational sector has made him an authority. Dr. Soorya Lal Amatya is an extraordinary personality who could be seen in most of the Kathmandu seminars where in he participates actively. Professor Amatya is soft spoken and commands respect in the nation's academic sector. Amatya obtained his M.A degree in Geography from University of Baroda, India in the year 1959 and yet again he secured his M.A degree from the University of Hawaii, USA in 1964. This internationally acclaimed educationist joined the government service as section officer in the year 1959 and served there for two years or so. Since then Professor Amatya has worked in numerous prestigious organizations. He was a professor at the department of Geography, T.U; executive director, Center for Economic Development and Administration, CEDA; member T.U Service Commission; member University Grant Commission-UGC; Dean at the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences; Deputy Director, Research Center for Nepal and Asian Studies; National Program Officer of the UNICEF; and Campus chief at the Kirtipur Campus, T.U.

Besides these, his activities Professor Amatya headed the Nepal Council of World Affairs several times in the past. He was also a board member of US Education Foundation.

Professor Amatya has several books to his credit. Cash Crop farming in Nepal; Economic Geography of Nepal and Economic and Commercial Geography are some of the books, which gave him name, and fame both. Professor Amatya has written more than twenty research articles on varied topics that have got duly printed in national and international journals. Currently he is associated with thirty plus research projects that keep him practically busy most of the time.

Last week, at a NEFAS sponsored seminar I had the honor to request this scholar for an exclusive interview on contemporary issues confronting the nation to which he modestly accepted. Below the results: Chief editor. 

 TGQ1: Prof. Amatya, how would you characterize the current political situation of Nepal? Your exclusive comments please?

Prof.Amatya: The political situation in Nepal is deteriorating at present. With the majority of Nepali Congress at the last general election, the people had a                 high expectation from N.C. government. But unfortunately, the government so far could not deliver the goods as promised in the election menifesto. Firstly, corruption has become rampant. As reported in local newspapers, even the bureaucrats and technicians have to bribe for appointment and transfer to important government positions. In such highly corrupt situation, how can we expect bureaucrats and technicians to be honest and efficient. Secondly, security has been a matter of serious concern particularly in the sixteen districts of the country, where the people’s movement (Maobadi) seems to be dominant. Even INGOs and development agencies have withdrawn their programs from such districts. Thirdly, the government has raised the prices of diesel, kerosene, fertilizers, electricity and other items substantially which has adversely affected the life of the people. Fourthly, there seems to be                 lack of good understanding among the major political parties and internal conflicts in all the major political parties. These clearly indicate the deteriorating political situation of the country.

TGQ2: Dr. Amatya, as an expert on development discourse and governance your contributions to these fields are undoubtedly great. In this context I would like to ask you about one pertinent question and that being about development. Critics of development say that on the public policies about development, external decision makers appear to be more stronger than internal ones (such as National Development Council, NPC and even the parliament) and consequently the government has to adjust to what could be called “ conditionalized “ aid and therefore  people do not have any ownership on the policies made for them. How would you react to this state and how to solve them.

Prof.Amatya: We have been depending on bilateral and multilateral grants and loans for                 major development programs in the country. Nepal in a sense was fortunate to receive substantial foreign grants and loans. But the resources were not properly and efficiently utilized. Firstly the absorption capacity of foreign grants and loans in implementation of development programs was usually less than 60 per cent of the total annual financial commitment.

Secondly, the funds were not properly utilized. Thirdly, the expended expenditures were, of course, audited but regular monitoring and      evaluation of the performance of the implementation of the development programs were not conducted. Usually pro-longed delay in implementation was a characteristic, which contributed in raising substantially the completion cost of most of the major development projects. Fourthly even the long term soft loans that we received in the past from IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank were at lower  exchange rate of US $. But now, of course, the exchange rate has gone up by more than 200 per cent which made it very difficult for Nepal to pay back the foreign loans and accumulated interests. The government now has to set aside approximately 30 per cent of the total annual budget for debt  servicing. It is the multilateral agencies particularly the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have been pressing hard in raising the tariff rate of electricity, telephone and drinking water. So their influence in policy framing and decision making process have been relatively more apparent than state agencies like NPC and National Development Council. To overcome this problem, we should make a concerted effort in mobilizing National resources; proper utilization of loans; efficient management ofdevelopment projects, government and semi-government agencies.

TGQ 3: Coming on the topic of governance, tell us Professor, how to make our government accountable and inclusive so that even opposition thinks that the ruling  government  belong to th em as well.

Prof. Amatya: The ministers have been talking about good governance; bureaucrats and intellectuals have been pleading a need for good governance in the country. But if we carefully review the commentaries and editorials in the major local newspapers, we have to confess that the government has miserably failed to provide good governance. As a retired professor, I can  cite two cases of higher education in Nepal. The first case is the policy of phasing out program of the certificate level of teaching from the universities and amalgamation of 10 + 2  in higher secondary schools. It is the private and boarding schools that have initiated and consolidated the higher secondary education at relatively higher tuition cost. The state- managed schools have not made any progress in this context. How could Tribhuvan University and Mahendra Sanskrit University phase out the certificate level teaching in such situation? The second case is that of  Purbanchal University and Pokhara University. Both the universities were initially designed and established by the government as regional universities. Every body knows how these universities are functioning at  present. I do not need to further elaborate on this case. 

In the major decision making process, there has been a series of complaints  raised by the main opposition party and other political parties that the government did not consult them. In my opinion, a mechanism of dialogue and consultation with opposition leaders need to be evolved in the process  of making decision on major issues of national concern. This will obviously help in creating confidence and better understanding between the government and the opposition parties.

TGQ 4: Sir! You as an expert on decentralization, please tell our readers why it is not turning out the way it is expected and there is more centralization in the party and institutions of governance than decentralization and therefore Federations of local authorities are calling for decentralization of power and wealth.

Prof. Amatya: Local-self Governance Institutions ( LGIs) like District development Committee (DDCs), Municipalities and Village Development Committees ( VDCs ) have been empowered by the  Local –self Governance Act of 1998. But the by-laws have not yet been framed and approved by the government. This has created difficult situation for proper functioning of LGIs. The government compelled the municipalities to withdraw Octroi but so far has failed to provide required funds as promised. District level line agencies have been functioning as directed by the concerned ministries and allocated funds do not reach to LGIs on time. As such     elected leaders of LGIs are getting frustrated. The federations of DDCs, municipalities and VDCs have already started pressing the government to expedite the fulfillment of their demands. Because of the way of functioning of the government, there has been relatively more centralization of power.

TGQ 5: How the Nepalese media can help in improving the existing abnormalities?

Prof. Amatya: The role of media is very important in democratic political system. It is the media that indicates the wrong doings, corrupt practices and faulty policies of the governm and provides information on the important events. The media should be free, unbiased and not aligned to any political parties and business houses. The media should provide feed back to the government, opposition parties, and institutions and to the people.