GROSS NEGLIGENCE

The Kathmandu Post

8 December 2017

GROSS NEGLIGENCE

The local level elections were held almost three months ago under the new federal structure based on the new constitution. All the political members for the local bodies were elected accordingly. People had high expectations of their local governments providing them with necessary services at their door steps after a gap of almost 20 years. Until now, their expectations have remained unfulfilled due to gross negligence of the central government, especially the Ministry of General Administration and Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development.

Dozens of local government units across the country are still without executives. The government has yet to deploy executives to two metropolises, 21 municipalities and 52 rural municipalities and 3,900 wards of the local level bodies. Of the total six metropolises in the country, only four have got joint secretaries. Likewise, 21 out of 276 municipalities are yet to get executive officers. Also, the seats of executive officers in 52 rural municipalities out of 460 municipalities are vacant. Apart from executive officers, the local level units are yet to get 3,900 employees at ward level (“75 local government units are still without executive offices” December 6, Page 4).

 Looking at these pathetic operational situations, it seems that the government and its concerned authorities were either not mentally prepared for the implementation of federal structure or not convinced that the local level elections would be held on time. Otherwise, by this time, all the employees should have taken their respective seats and started the smooth operations of all the local level governments. Even the concerned 22 ministries, who were supposed to hand over offices, detailed work plan, responsibilities and budgets to the local level units, have not done so fearing and assuming that the newly formed local level units might not be able to assume their responsibilities. This shows that the local level bodies formed in accordance with the federal structure will not be fully functional for some time.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharjgunj

http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/printedition/news/2017-12-08/gross-negligence.html