The Tail Wagging The Dog

Nepal has experimented with many systems of governance. The goal was to improve governance and public service delivery. But it has remained elusive to date. Nepalis’ expectation from the state is minimal. They are happy with the regular supplies of necessities. They don’t even question about the price. Perhaps, the non-questioning tendency of the people has rendered the state unaccountable. Hence, state accountability has steadily been eroding. 

The biggest public demands are free health services and education. Imprudent political leaders and unscrupulous bureaucrats have a ready-made answer to it: the economy can’t sustain. It is not a matter of financial resources, but of political willpower and fiscal discipline. Adopt austerity measures, it becomes a reality. Trimming the over political representation, broadening tax base, tightening revenue collection and creating employment opportunities make it possible and sustainable.

Misplaced priority 

But the state’s priority has been misplaced. Its genesis dates back to Panchayat regime. The monarchs who loved a welfare state used to show mercy to their people and made short-term arrangements for providing essentials on the eve of festivals like Dashain and Tihar. In those days, transportation was a huge challenge and traders were unable and unwilling to reach the remote areas. So, the state sold consumer goods through fair-price shops. 

Instead of providing daily necessities in remote areas and regulating their price, quantity and quality, the successive governments have been providing discounts on consumer goods by operating the so-called ‘(un)fair-price shops’ confined to cities and townships of few districts. All governments routinely rationalize it as an attempt to protect consumers from being cheated by the grocers who take advantage of major festivals when people shop more than usual. The government expedites inspection during festivals and names it a regulation, making a mockery of the law.