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
