Good Governance Blueprint Proposes Governance Shake Up, Termination Of Some Public Entities

Kathmandu, March 30: The Good Governance Blueprint, 2082 BS unveiled by the government to reform public administration proposes scrapping around a dozen public entities, while merging some and transferring others to province and local levels as part of a governance shake up.

The blueprint, released on Monday by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, highlights the need to integrate entities that perform similar functions as well as those that are inactive or ineffective so as to make the administrative system more prompt, efficient and accountable to citizens.

It also proposes merging organizations with similar roles. The Nepal Mountain Training Academy has been proposed to be merged with the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management. Likewise, the Department of Printing, the Law Book Management Board, and the Security Printing Development Committee are proposed to be integrated into the Security Printing Centre. Likewise, Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Board and the Nepal Transit and Warehousing Co Limited have been proposed to be merged. If necessary, these organisations will be transformed into an authority after the merger.

The government has planned to unify the Judicial Service Training Centre with the National Judicial Academy Nepal, the Central Law Library Development Board with the National Library and establish the National Entrepreneurship and Self Employment Fund by integrating various self-employment related funds.

The operation of Terai-Madhesh Prosperity Programme has been proposed from the respective province instead of the federal level.

Through the Roadmap, the government has proposed to scrap the Buddhist Philosophy Promotion and Monastery Development Committee. Its functions will be carried out by the Lumbini University and the Department of Archeology.

Likewise, the Minimum Wages Fixation Committee, the Nepal Railway Board, the Federal Capital Urban Area Public Transport Authority, the Land Development Revolving Fund, and the Town Development Fund have been recommended termination due to their ineffective performance.

Some medical college infrastructures and development projects are also in the list to be wiped out. These include the Medical College Infrastructure Development Projects in Bardiya, Butwal, and Surkhet. Similarly, the functions of the National Dairy Development Board are proposed to be undertaken by the Department of Livestock Services. The list also includes the termination of District Election Offices, with their functions to be transferred to the respective District Administrations and the establishment of election offices at the province level.

It also highlights the need to void certain licensing systems so as to simplify administrative procedures. These include the Labour Approval System and the No Objection Letter requirement for foreign study.

Moreover, the National Chure Conservation Committee has been proposed to be restructured and its responsibilities transferred to the provincial level. Along with this, plant research centres, veterinary laboratories, various irrigation projects, and the People's Embankment Programme have been proposed to be handed over to the provinces. Likewise, various tourism conservation and development boards have been proposed to be transferred either to province or local levels.

Boards and projects established with specific goals, costs and deadlines are to be automatically closed once those goals are achieved. This policy should be implemented effectively, the blueprint states.