Nepal’s provincial heads propose new format of cooperation — Kathmandu Post
In Nepal’s Biratnagar, provincial chief ministers proposed strengthening cooperation between regions while again calling on the federal authorities to grant them more powers and resources. The interprovincial conference, held on October 13–14, discussed police integration, civil service management, budget transfers and the division of powers, Kathmandu Post reports.
The meeting was attended by leaders of six of the seven provinces, as well as chief secretaries, representatives of provincial policy and planning commissions, and chief legal advisers. Only the head of the Sudurpashchim provincial government did not attend.
Old demands with no substantial progress
Gandaki Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey said that of the 17 demands put forward by the regions to the federal government at the 2023 conference in Pokhara, only the issue of issuing driving licences had been partially implemented. According to him, provinces were allowed to print licences, but only at a printing house designated by the federal authorities.
Pandey stressed that the constitution assigns responsibilities to the provinces, but they lack the appropriate tools and resources to fulfil them. Among the unresolved issues, he named police integration, the federal civil service law, legislation in education and forestry, the transfer of administrative powers, and the distribution of financial resources.
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Lumbini Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya also said that delays in adopting laws on provincial police and administration hinder the work of regional authorities. Madhesh Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav criticised the practice of the federal centre appointing secretaries to provincial ministries, considering it a threat to regional autonomy.
Proposals for joint projects
Yadav proposed creating a Provincial Chief Ministers’ Partnership Forum that would include all seven regional leaders. He also put forward ideas for a special fund for interprovincial interaction and an interprovincial investment bank.
Bagmati Chief Minister Kiran Thapa Magar called for a clearer division of powers among the three levels of government and for climate change mitigation, disaster response and economic cooperation to be identified as common priorities. Provincial leaders also noted that joint initiatives in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and civil protection could help use regional resources more effectively.
Federalism planning expert Himlal Devkota said that the repetition of the same demands nine years after provincial governments were established indicates gaps in the implementation of federalism. He called on the conference to assess the implementation of the demands formulated in Pokhara and prepare a concrete plan for their implementation.
