Kathmandu, Nov 24: Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal said the administrative complications and weak service delivery seen in seven years of federalism cannot be resolved unless the constitution is amended.

Speaking at a discussion on “Financial Resource Management and Use of Natural Resources” organized by the Nepal Law Society in Kathmandu, he said the constitution is not a rigid document and should be amended as needed, similar to India.

He said the nature of cross-flow of natural resources requires coordination, cooperation and coexistence in areas of shared jurisdiction. Duplication in service delivery is causing daily trouble for citizens. He added that the second part of the work-division report was completed in February 2024 but has been stuck at the Cabinet.

He said, “As the constitution was implemented, the need for clarity in Schedules 5 to 9 became clear. Practice has already confirmed this. Some functions would work better at the federal level, and some would work better as exclusive powers of local governments. That is also what people are asking for. Rivers flow from north to south, the source may lie in Solukhumbu, but the lower level is not allowed to use the water.”

“These complexities are unique to us. For agriculture or livestock services, there is confusion about whether the knowledge center or the local level is responsible. To open an industry, one must go through all three levels. People are questioning if the constitution itself is creating hardship. Only an amendment can refine these schedules. After that, drafting a strong umbrella law will be easier. If both happen, sixty to seventy percent of problems will resolve on their own. It is already late to take bold steps. Without amendment, federalism will remain limited to structure only.”

Chief Secretary Aryal also expressed dissatisfaction that the political leadership has not prioritized this agenda. Saying it is already late to initiate reforms, he warned that without constitutional amendments, federalism will remain only structural.

(People’s News Monitoring Service)