EDITORIAL

“Swallow a bone looking at the throat size”, is a famous saying. Nepal is a tiny country with a population of just around 30 million. When those carrying foreign agendas for their personal benefits, introduced seven provinces and 753 local bodies and a huge federal parliament. Experts believe, based on the population size, a federal parliament having around 100 members and 300 local bodies were enough to function. There was no need for provincial structures. In the past five years, the provinces could not justify their significance except by making the provinces the minister-producing factories. In the name of reaching Singhadurwar to the villages, the political leaders expanded the corruption net to the villages. Corruption and commission practices have been institutionalized. The organs established for curbing corruption have been defunct as they are unable to catch big fish. All organs that were vital to the function of the nation have been destroyed due to political intervention and party politics. Judiciary too is not independent and aloof from politics. In other words, the rule of law has ended.

If such a trend will continue can the nation stand independently? More serious to mention here, as we were saying from the beginning that rapidly increased non-productive sector expenditure is not good for a country like Nepal. The country should focus on more investment in the development sector by reducing general sector expenditure. In contradiction, Nepal has imposed such an expensive political system feeding all the government revenue to the elected people’s representatives. Now, none other than the government authority is saying that the government revenue collected in the six months of the current fiscal year is less than the amount allotted for general sector expenditure. According to the Auditor General’s Office, the government has failed to collect revenue even to meet the general sector expenditure. Now, as the government has failed to collect targeted revenue, it is under pressure to take more loans to meet the general sector expenditure. The government, like in the past, is unable to invest in the development sector except in the general sector. To meet the targeted expenditure for the general sector also, the government is taking loans every year. If such a trend will continue, very soon, Nepal will fall into a debt trap. Reducing general sector expenditure, in other words, scrapping the present elephant-like political system, is the remedy to the present problem. Please take it seriously.