Thu, 15 October 2026
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Thu, 15 October 2026
Over a decade after the creation of seven provinces on September 20, 2015, voices have emerged that provincial governments have failed to meet people's expectations. In an effort to address this issue, to consolidate federalism and resolve common problems faced by provincial governments and to promote cooperation among the provinces, the Inter-Provincial Chief Ministers' Conference 2083 was held in Biratnagar on October 13-14.
At the conference, the chief ministers have agreed that provincial governments are being weakened economically and administratively by the failure to enact necessary laws and grant them the powers guaranteed by the constitution. They expressed dissatisfaction that the federal government's reluctance to devolve powers has hamstrung provincial development and public service delivery, demanding that the seat of the government, Kathmandu, transfer power.
Provincial governments want provincial police structure so that they can exercise their public-security responsibilities, but the lack of necessary laws has hindered this from happening. Likewise, they sought greater control over provincial employees and administrative machinery, expressing their desire for fair and predictable transfer of federal grants and an equitable share of revenue from natural resources.
Making it clear that delays in enacting federal laws concerning education and civil service has prevented the provinces from taking on their responsibilities, they called for the inter-provincial cooperation for common development. They also discussed collaboration in agriculture, tourism, trade, infrastructure and disaster management. The issue of frequent transfers of employees, which has turned provinces into places where staff merely consumed public resources without contributing effectively, was also raised.
Though not discussed at the conference, frequent change in government and political instability is also crippling functioning of provincial governments. Political parties at the centre have turned the provinces into a playground to play their power game. When there is change of governments in quick succession, development works suffer. Chronic lack of development projects is a recipe for mass unemployment, widespread discontent and youth exodus. Such foul power game only undermines the spirit of federalism. Even years after the adoption of federalism, the country hasn't been able to liberate itself from the chronic problem of low capital expenditure, which has remained below half of the earmarked budget. The problem has now rippled into provincial governments as well. Low capital expenditure starves the market of the money needed to fuel economic growth and bring prosperity.
Provinces constitute the foundation of federalism. To strengthen it, it is imperative to bolster provincial governments and their coordination with the federal government. The performance of local governments is the barometer of their performance. Through federalism, the country aims to build an egalitarian, inclusive society where rights and opportunities are granted to everyone regardless of their social, economic or religious status. But, disenchanted by the failure to deliver on the promises, anti-federal forces have been raising their ugly heads time and again.
As the country navigates its journey into federalism, it is grappling with challenges. But what matters the most is to keep going with determination, for its ideals are worth pursuing. Enough political will and effective coordination and cooperation between federal, provincial and local governments in the spirit of the constitution is the need of the hour to lay the groundwork for provincial development and drive the federal system towards realising the constitutional ideals.
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