KATHMANDU: The National Commission on Inclusiveness (NCI) formed 14 months ago is collecting public opinion on the final report it prepared as to how the state could share its resources among people of all class, caste and creed equitably.

The members of the commission are visiting at least 15 districts across the country carrying a summary of the report. Talking over the telephone to The Himalayan Times from Jhapa today, chairman of the commission, Narsingh Chaudhari, said the feedback of the people consulted would be incorporated before submitting the revised report to the Prime Minister. The readied report was decided to be presented to the public when the tenure of the commission was extended two weeks ago.

In order to ensure inclusion, the report has suggested forming a ministry or a powerful commission to formulate policies, plans and programmes necessary for making all the agencies in future states and the centre inclusive; including missing communities in the list; collecting facts on all ethnic groups through a fresh census; and preparing an inclusion-friendly budget to carry out the plan. The report has pointed out ethnic, linguistic, religious, economic, social, political and federal measures of inclusion.On the inclusion of ethnic communities, it has suggested taking up statuses such as development stage, place of settlement, economic condition as well as mother tongue and culture.

On the inclusiveness of women, it has suggested 50 per cent representation in local bodies and primary schools, 40 per cent in lower secondary schools, 33 per cent in legislature, bureaucracy and judiciary.

The commission has proposed amending the constitution, existing laws and procedures and setting up special-purpose mechanisms to facilitate inclusiveness. Preferential and remedial modes of implementation have been recommended. Within groups needing reservation, intra-group reservation has also been suggested for mainstreaming most-backward people.

Principles of equal concern and respect, substantive equality, non-discrimination, participation in public life, special protection and positive discrimination are claimed to have been adopted during the process.

The commission was mandated to suggest the government as to which state organs or agencies need to be made inclusive and how that could be achieved; individuals of what community or region need to be included on what basis and in which proportion; and what kind of policy reforms are necessary in order to clear existing legal hurdles for inclusiveness, among others.

The task was assisted by the Social Inclusion Research Fund of SNV Nepal. Experts had prepared research-based working papers, which were put together to prepare the report. Experts involved include Dr Krishna Bhattachan, Tula Narayan Sah and Dr Shaubhagya Shah.

The commission, however, falls short of what was envisaged by a 15-month old cabinet decision, which prescribed seven members, including two women, and a first class gazetted government official. It has only three members: Kapilvastu-based law practitioner Narsingh Chaudhari, Dhanusa-based law practitioner Kishori Sah and joint-secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Sharada Prasad Trital - all males.

Chaudhari said the purpose of the commission would be served better if it was first made inclusive .