Federal states to get budget

KATHMANDU, May 20: 

The government will allocate a budget for federal states to precede their primary expenditure in the forthcoming budget. Although the exact number of states is not clear yet, we are allocating a budget to facilitate the process, said vice chairman of national planning commission Deependra Bahadur Kshetry at Reporters’ Club today. 

“The budget will help in conducting elections in the various states and in establishing a basic administration set-up,” he said, adding that the lump sum allocation can be utilised by all states. However, he did not elaborate the exact amount that will be allocated. “It is premature,” he said. 

According to Kshetry, the number of states does not matter when it comes to the issue of development of the country if leaders are honest and committed to development. “A complete transformation in political thoughts is necessary if we want to build efficient federal states in the country,” he said. 

An efficient leadership can manage any number of states whether it is 10, 14 or more, he said, adding that they must preserve the rights of the general people to participate in matters relating to governance. “Self-governance is the basic instinct of federal states,” he said. 

Former bureaucrat Dr Bhola Chalise opined that the number of states is not the major question while establishing federal states. “Unfortunately, we are stuck with the numbers which is actually a secondary issue. The major concern is about devolution of power. The success of federalism will depend on how we provide governing rights to people,” he said. 

According to Dr Chalise, federal states should be conceptualised by taking two prominent issues into account — more power to people and competition among states. “If we fail to provide more power at the grassroots level, federalism will not work,” he said. 

He suggested politicians to focus on building self-governing and regulating societies through federalism. “The dream of a prosperous Nepal will be possible only when a large number of people take part in governance issues,” he said.

Different states will have different strengths and priorities, so an average budgeting practice for all states will not be practical in the future. “The current planning and budgeting practices need a complete overhaul,” Dr Chalise added.

Source: THT