Decentralisation defunct for two decades

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, January 4

All the governments after the restoration of democracy in 1990 have crippled the decentralisation policy, an effective tool of good governance in democracy. Only four meetings were held on the issue in two decades.

Meetings of the Decentralisation Implementation and Monitoring Committee (DIMC), the ever-biggest body headed by Prime Minister took place in Janury 17, 2000; March 28, 2001; January 8, 2002 and October 14, 2009, according to the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD), a focal ministry. The meeting should take place at least once a year. The schedule of DIMC meeting was increased to three times a year on March 28, 2001.

The Decentralisation Implementation Action Plan2058BS is in helpless situation. DIMC meetings decided to amend all contradicting rules and regulation with laws, give priority to local level plans in all ministries, establishment of local service commission, projection of line agencies under District Development Committees and review on number of local bodies. These serious issues are yet to be implemented, said Narayan Thapa, chief at Decentralisation Section, MoLD. “However, other petty decisions have been practiced to some extent,” he said.

“Not a single meeting was held in 2010 too,” said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD. “This has badly affected in decentralisation and governance,” he said.

The policy of decentralisation was included in 1991 constitution. The Local Self Governance Act 2055BS and Regulation 2056BS clearly provision the objectives of the decentralisation on empowerment of local bodies, effectiveness, accountability, rights and use of resources in local level. They also include democratic process, transparency, people’s participation in development, financial resource management, local leadership and establishment of civil societies.

Bimal Koirala, former chief secretary, said that it was the result of government’s non-commitment towards the concept. “All the governments were centralised in Singhdurbar instead of reaching to people,” he said . “The local bodies should be empowered with political, administrative and economic rights,” he said.

Koirala further said that there was no option of decentralisation in any system either federal or unitary one. “No government willed to devolve power in local level. As a result country had to face conflict owing to the people’s frustration,” he added.

DIMC list

• Prime Minister: Chairperson
• MoLD Minister: Vice-Chairperson
• Govt Ministers: Members
• Chiefs of the Parliamentary Committees
• NPC Vice-Chairperson
• NMC members
• Govt Chief Secretary
• Govt secretaries
• Each representative from political parties elected in parliament
• Presidents of local bodies union and federations
• MoLD secretary: Member secretary

 Working Committee

• MoLD Minister: Coordinator
• MoLD secretary: Member
• Six experts from decentralisation, revenue, accounts, rural development, administration and law sectors
• A Special Class Govt secretary

 The working committee on decentralisation was formed once in the beginning, leaving it defunct for all. Interestingly, Minister for Local Development Purna Kumar Sherma Limbu, Vice-Chairman of DIMC, was ignorant about his position and the role of the committees. “It is the time of federalism and power projection to central, regional and local governments,” he said.

“The vacuum of elected representatives in local bodies for eight years affected in the implementation of the policy,” he said. “It is difficult to implement laws and rules in transitional phase,” he added.

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Int'l peace award of US$ 50,000 on Buddha's name

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, May 25

The Government of Nepal is officially publicising the establishment of the Gautam Buddha International Peace Award (GBIPA) worth US$ 50,000 on the occasion of 2554^th Buddha anniversary on May 27. Buddha was born at Tilaurakot, Kapilvastu district in Lumbini Zone in Nepal.

According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC), the award will be given to national and international personalities and organisations working for peace and human rights. An individual or organisation will be rewarded with US$ 50,000 in each five years.

“The decision to provide the GBIPA to the peace makers will be officially publicised on the occasion of the Buddha Jayanti function in Lumbini on May 27,” said Rishi Kesh Niroula, under-secretary at the MoFACAPAC. “The winner will be declared on the Buddha Jayanti in 2011 first time and the award will be given on that day,” he added.

The government decided to establish the GBIPA in November 11, 2002. However, it could not be materialised due to the extreme political situation in the country.

“Now, everything is prepared accordingly and it is on the final stage to recognise officially,” said Niroula. “The Peace Award Management and Coordination Committee, headed by Kul Chandra Gautam, former assistant UN General Secretary has been recently formed,” he told this daily.

The committee comprises of four members-- former chief secretary Dr Bimal Koirala, renowned artist Urmila Garga, singer Aani Choying Drolma, and Acharya Karma Sangbo Sherpa, vice-chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust. The secretariat of the committee will be stationed at the MoFACAPAC.

The committee will formulate criteria and determine procedures soon, said Niroula. “It will select the nominees within a year and recommend best three candidates to the government,” he said. “Finally, the government will select the winner of the GBIPA,” he added.

The LDT in coordination with the Ministry, the Kapilvastu District Development Committee, Kapilvastu Municipality, the Dharmodaya Sabha and other organisations will organise Buddha Jayanti in Lumbini this year. The Ministry has disbursed Rs 2 million for the celebration.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Culture Minister Dr Minendra Rijal among other ministers are scheduled to visit Lumbini on the occasion. Meanwhile, along with different programmes, an art exhibition ‘Light of Asia’ by Vietnamese artist Phu Nguyen will be on display in Lumbini,” said Prakash Darnal, officer at the MoFACAPAC. “It will be a historic celebration in terms of declaring a big award,” he added.

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