Key Takeaways:
- Province chiefs call for greater autonomy and constitutional powers
- Leaders raise concerns over delayed laws and fiscal devolution
- Climate change and interprovincial cooperation emerge as key issues
- Summit conclusions to be submitted to federal government
Chief ministers of Nepal's seven provinces have called for stronger intergovernmental coordination, clearer constitutional powers and greater cooperation to strengthen federalism at an inter-provincial summit that began in Biratnagar on Tuesday.
Organised by the Koshi Province government, the two-day conference opened with the chief ministers jointly inaugurating the event through digital technology. Addressing the opening session, they highlighted cooperation, coordination and coexistence while raising concerns over delays in transferring constitutional powers, enacting laws and ensuring fiscal devolution.
Karnali Province Chief Minister Mangal Bahadur Shahi said the achievements of federalism must be protected and democracy strengthened. He warned that unfulfilled public expectations were being used to spread misinformation and called for addressing misconceptions through facts while pursuing prosperity.
Shahi said ambiguities in exercising constitutionally guaranteed powers and delays in enacting necessary laws had created administrative and fiscal problems. He urged provinces to coordinate and cooperate by drawing on their respective strengths.
Lumbini Province Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya accused the federal government of delaying the transfer of powers guaranteed by the Constitution. He called for the swift enactment of police and civil service laws, alleging that the federal government had overlooked provincial rights.
Acharya also expressed concern over what he described as attempts to weaken the administrative structure and restrict fiscal transfers. He called for policies that ensure the transfer of financial resources in accordance with the Constitution.
Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey said successive governments led by various political parties had failed to strengthen federalism despite repeated calls from the provinces.
"At times, it feels as though federalism was introduced merely to draft the Constitution and suppress the rebellion at that time. Otherwise, why have the provinces been left without powers?" he asked.
Pandey said provincial governments were being criticised as a "white elephant" despite spending considerably less on administration than other tiers of government. He argued that provinces were being blamed for poor performance even as their powers remained constrained by the federal government.
"How can anyone run when their hands and feet are tied?" he asked, urging the federal government to enact laws in line with the Constitution and transfer the powers needed for provincial governments to deliver results.
Pandey also criticised the lack of transparency in administrative decisions, saying provincial governments were often unaware of when federal secretaries were assigned or transferred. He called for an end to misconceptions about provincial spending and performance based on social media claims rather than facts and data.
Bagmati Province Chief Minister Kiran Thapa called for a common provincial position on climate change and its impacts. He said the provinces should establish a strong fund to reduce climate-related losses and strengthen coordination among federal, provincial and local governments by addressing legal obstacles.
Madhesh Province Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav stressed the need for joint initiatives and shared investment among provinces to promote development and prosperity. He proposed exploring religious tourism circuits to attract visitors and called for stronger partnerships among all three tiers of government.
Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki said provincial governments should move beyond complaints and take action within their existing jurisdictions. He said the complexities of implementing federalism would be discussed and conclusions conveyed to the prime minister.
Karki said the conference was not intended simply to criticise the federal government but to provide a constructive forum for discussing shared concerns and mutual interests. He added that even previous governments led by the chief ministers' own parties had delayed transferring provincial powers, but said he had no complaints against the new federal government, which had been in office for only four to five months.
Karki also called for a common position on climate change and highlighted drug abuse as a serious problem across all seven provinces. He said provincial governments seeking to implement programmes often encountered bottlenecks at the federal level.
"We keep working, but when it is time to see results, it is like an elephant getting through while its tail remains stuck," he said, calling for clearer delineation of provincial powers.
The conference will continue until Wednesday. Experts are scheduled to present working papers in the presence of the chief ministers, with the conclusions to be submitted to the federal government.
The programme also includes discussions between the chief ministers and business representatives. The Koshi government has planned a tour of the province for the chief ministers on Wednesday to promote tourism.
