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By Our Reporter

Now the country has a new coalition government led by CPN-UML chairman KP Sharma Oli. It is also the first coalition government of the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, the two large parties in the 275-member House of Representatives after the promulgation of the constitution in 2015. The two big parties had formed a coalition government after the second Constituent Assembly election held in 2013. Then they had formed the coalition government with a sole goal of promulgating the new constitution, which was delayed due to confrontation among parties, and they succeeded to their mission. Then they formed the coalition government after the CA elected in 2008 failed to draft the constitution even in five years.

This time, the two parties claimed that they formed the coalition with a goal of maintaining political stability and amending the constitution. But in reality, they were fed up with quite unstable political activities of outgoing Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre). When Dahal started cheating the two parties turn by turn changing the coalition partners, Nepali Congress and the UML, the two rival parties not only came together but also reached an agreement on July 1 in a dramatic manner to form a new government, which they realised in less than two weeks.

Now the government has already been formed. Unlike in the past, the two parties formed a full cabinet in the first go. The Prime Minister can now add only three state ministers in the Cabinet because constitution does not allow him to form a cabinet exceeding 25 members, and he formed a 22-member cabinet on Monday.

Besides maintaining stability, there are heaps of problems which the new government should sort out soon.  The country is now mired by natural calamities triggered by heavy monsoon rains, and finding the missing people and rehabilitating the displaced ones are the main job of the government. Many earthquake victims in Jajarkot and Rukum West districts are living in the cracked houses or under makeshifts, and they should be provided with support to build new houses.

The economy is yet to be fully revived. The construction contractors have to be paid Rs. 60 billion rupees for the works they did in the last fiscal year.  The victims of cooperative frauds and the loan sharks have been seeking justice, and their problems should be addressed properly as soon as possible.

Only after sorting out these problems, the new government could focus on its goals of political stability and constitution amendment.

Several laws required to the effective implementation of federalism are yet to be approved by the House. The Civil Service Act, The Police Adjustment Bill, the Education Bill, the TRC Bills are in the House, and the new government need to endorse them.

Maintaining good governance is the biggest problem as corruption has been rampant in the government entities. Almost all government entities from the Tribhuvan University to corporations are marred by bad governance, and their problems should be fixed first.

As rumours have been rife that the present government is formed to cover up corruption cases, Oli needs to give a fitting answers to them by booking all those involved in the corruption scams.

Above all, the government should instill the hope among the people that the government is there to heal their wounds, expedite development activities, create new job opportunities and push the country in the path of development.