Essential Priorities

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala presented the policy and program of the government for the forthcoming financial year in the interim Parliament, the other day. In the presentation made in the national legislature, Prime Minister Koirala accorded priority to improve law and order situation for holding elections to the Constituent Assembly scheduled for November 22. Prime Minister Koirala who heads the multiparty coalition government in which the Maoists are also represented reiterated that the top priority for country at the moment is the polls for constituent assembly which is expected to herald a new era of democracy and peace in the nation. Accordingly, the policy and program of the government announced by the prime minister has committed to set up a state restructuring commission by giving mandate to recommend modus operandi of reconstituting the governance mechanism and territory of the state. This would be an important commission as told by the prime minister, and its suggestions should facilitate the process for building a new constitution in the country.

Since the country has already braced for a federal polity, it is not yet clear on what type of provision with respect to federalism should be incorporated in the new basic law of the land to satisfy the aspirations of the people from different geographic, linguistic and ethnic zones. Moreover, in line with national need and priority, the government has committed to form a task force to recommend measures for ensuring proportional share of different marginal and excluded communities in the apparatuses of the state. This commitment of the government goes in line with the principle of inclusive democracy. What should be noted in this context has been the government resolve to rebuild and reconstitute the local bodies through consensual approach as, in the absence of representative and competent local government institutions, it is difficult for local democracy to foster. The government policy is progressive and, thus, aims at addressing the problems faced by the people from different walks of life. The announcement to raise the salary of the civil servants, focus on rural electrification, priority to commercialization of the farm sector, raising of the industrial security force and restructuring of the health sector are some of the social development measures that can go a long way in enhancing development of the country. However, provided that the implementation and monitoring drive is not revamped and toned up, the intended objectives enshrined in the policy and program of the government can not be translated into reality. In addition to strengthening mechanism for law and order, the democratic government should set sight on making the implementation mechanism better and stronger.

Source: The Rising Nepal, July 6, 2007