By P.R. Pradhan

The ruling UML party has given the slogan of “Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali”, however, the slogan doesn’t apply in real terms. So far, “Prosperous Brokers and Happy Political Leaders” will be suitable in the current situation of the country. Around half a dozen brokers have developed a syndicate and the political leaders are dancing to the tune of those brokers. Government policies are introduced even by amending the existing laws to support the brokers benefiting their business. The Prime Minister gives the order to resume the electricity supply to those industries that deny paying the electricity bills worth billions of rupees. When the general public delays paying the electricity bill on time, they are compelled to pay a heavy penalty and the electricity line will be discontinued if delayed paying the penalty and regular bill amounts. The cement price in the market has been doubled. Earlier, laws were developed stating that businessmen taking profit of more than 20% should be punished. The government removed this clause in the new ordinance. Now, businessmen can make more profit from the commodities they sell. The cement-producing factories have fixed a new price by curtailing. As the government leaders are working in the interests of the brokers and middlemen, they will not take action against the industries. The construction companies have failed to meet the deadline for completing the projects they have assigned. All roads and highways are destroyed and people are compelled to travel on such highways suffering from different kinds of trouble. The plight of the construction companies is different. Immediately after assigning the project, certain percent of amount should be given to the concerned authorities. In every payment, the construction companies are compelled to pay commissions to the government authorities. Many of them are not been able to receive payments even after completing the projects assigned for.

Some of the owners of the construction companies have direct link with the supreme leaders of the political parties. They take advance from the government but doesn’t complete the project and later put pressure on the government to increase the estimated cost of the project showing different reasons, including an increase in the price of the construction materials. The government is unable to introduce a strong law to take action against those who are unable to complete the projects on time as the political leaders are enjoying commissions from them.

Earlier, politics was considered as a social service, now, it has become a profession. More than that, nowadays, politics has become a money-making business without a single rupee of investment.

As political leaders have become the agents of the brokers, they have benefited in every business deal, on the other hand, the general public has been exploited.

During the Panchayat days, Nepal was practicing a mixed economy and the government had invested in different industries employing the locals and also intervening in the market. Even today, some government-owned industries are in operation, however, due to political intervention, the industries in profit during the Panchayat days have been ruined. Talking about the cement factories, there are the factories run by the government but they are almost closed and unable to intervene in the market when the private sector cement factories are curtailing. Those political leaders are found saying that providing employment is not the government's job as it is the job of the private sector. In Nepal-like countries, where the market structure has not been developed, the government should be able to intervene in the market when industrialists are found price curtailing.

The vegetable market is also captured by the brokers as both consumers and farmers are exploited by the middlemen. The middlemen have a strong reach in the political parties, therefore, the government is unable to intervene in the market.

To conclude, we can never imagine making Nepal prosperous and Nepalis happy under the present political system and political leadership. There is a need for a total overhaul of the system.