-Narayan Neupane and Subhanu Acharya
Kathmandu, January 24: The people’s representatives at the local level have complained of legal hurdles and paucity of human and financial resources as major obstructions to the pace of development activities. Most of the representatives the RSS approached came up with this view.
The local representatives, who had gathered in various districts to elect the National Assembly member, however, admitted that the local government was a new practice and they would move ahead by coping with the challenges. Chairperson of Panchpure Thaplang rural municipality of Sindhupalchowk, Tashi Lama said, “We are facing scarcity of human and financial sources and legal hitches.
But, the people are feeling that local government is the government that can attend to them at their doorsteps.” He demanded that the local government must not be interfered with in terms of exercising its rights. The central government must stop allocating budget for local levels. “Now, it is time to end the trend of running from one ministry to another inside Singha Durbar,” he underscored. Vice-Chairperson of Netrawati Darjang rural municipality from Dhading, Urmila Tamang, said they were confused about how to handle works because federalism was a new system of governance. She said it is not good to expect many achievements in a short time.
She also said the development activities would gain pace if the central government made clear demarcation of rights to be exercised by different layers of governments. Moreover, Chameli Gurung, who is the Vice-Chairperson of Uttargaya rural municipality, shared that they were settling local disputes with mediation, conducting public hearing for development activities and maintaining transparency in policymaking. Vice-Chairperson of Kispang rural municipality from Nuwakot, Mayadevi Neupane, complained that they were not given rights to allocate budget.
Likewise, Chairperson of Marin rural municipality from Sindhuli, Pani Bamjan, viewed although it was difficult for them to work for concurrent rights in the beginning, they gradually understood the issue and worked accordingly. Dam Maya Tamang of Tin Patan rural municipality shared that the locals had objected to the act of ward committee’s officer bearers buying the tractor and renting them out for public transportation. According to her, moving forward addressing the issues surrounding the absence of laws, lack of human resources and dispute concerning the exercise of authority had emerged as a pressing challenge in the local unit.
Similarly, Chairperson of Doramba rural municipality in Ramechhap Kaman Singh Moktan said, ” Public wants the development agenda be realized overnight which is not possible practically.” He also shared that the public have however felt that the development works were picking pace lately compared to the past. He expressed his confidence that the development works would take strides if the budget were allocated directly to the local level and legal hurdles were addressed and adequate human resources were put in place. Likewise, Vice-chairperson of Lalbakaiya rural municipality of Makawanpur Sarala Bulakhole said that the pace of development works was at a good pace and her office was closely working in line with the expectations of the locals.
Sindhuli’s Sunkoshi rural municipality’s Chairperson Deepa Bohora asserted, “We must address the minor issues of the public. We are the nearest government for the public. The public’s expectation for the development works be delivered by us. Many development works are being undertaken in my local unit.” Lalitpur’s Mahalaxmi municipality’s Mayor Rameshwor Shrestha made cutting remarks that although the local unit would have absolute authority on education, the federal government had been exercising that power when it comes to the municipality.
Mayor of Gokarneshwor Municipality in Kathmandu, Santosh Chalise, said that his municipality could not undertake the important works in the health and education sector since the provincial government said that it would formulate laws to implement the concurrent rights. Kageshwori Manahara municipality Deputy Mayor Bindu Simkhada spoke of the need to bring out many changes in certain sectors in her local unit although the producers were formulated in consultations with the experts to deliver services to the public and forward the development works in her local unit. —
