Public Policy Management in Nepal: Context and Issues Jagadish C. Pokharel, Ph.D. jagadish@pokharel.net Nepal Administrative Staff College April 22, 2019

We will discuss Public Policy Policy management Policy making process Policy implementation Evaluation and reformulation Policy management environment in Nepal Issues of policy management

Public Policy A purposive and consistent course of action produced as a response to a perceived problem of a constituency, formulated by a specific political process, and adopted, implemented, and enforced by a public agency Policy is made to solve a problem Policy has goal, intermediate steps for action Public officials make the final decision and are accountable for its implementation

What is special about public policy? Different types of Actors: Political actors, Officials and Experts Social groups more or less fragmented. Different types of stakes and interests. Long term and short term Affecting large parts of territory and population, Multiple resource commitment such as knowledge, trust, money, land, authority, power etc. are committed in the process.

Policy Management Involves the following elements Policy making Policy implementation Policy implementation monitoring Impact evaluation and Reformulation

Ideal Public Policy Making Process in a Democracy Program Agenda Implementation Issues Picked up Evaluation Issues

Determinants of Public Policy Outcome Policy Making Process Key actors and their commitment Ownership Resources commitment External environment Political context Economic context Social Context

Policy Environment In Nepal Post 2047 Liberal, multiple actors, plural interests, democratic Interest groups play Lobbying influencing/ constituency oriented State, market and civil society collaboration International influences– idea / resources/ interests Stronger Private Sector and Civil Society

Policy Concerns Post 2047 Decentralized governance Participatory development Economic growth Major development problem Poverty reduction Regional balance Social security

Actors In Public Policy Arena In Nepal (Post 2047 BS) ……. State Active Regulator Guide protective National Policy Making Arena Private Sector Efficiency Investment At the top Competitive Outward looking Cooperatives At the base Participatory Social capital Civil society

Learning Mechanism Periodic evaluation of implementation and change – mid term, terminal Lessons drawn and fed into policy arena Feeding into policy related decision– change, revision, termination etc

Policy Environment Post 2063 Transition Long political transition Weak State Weak Civil Society Weak Private Sector Weak local community Strong International Partners

External Actors And Influences International Donors/ partners influence Policy Idea Design Implementation Monitoring Resource Expertise Interest groups (esp. NGO)

Current Policy Context Post Constitution 2072 New State Structure Three tiers of government Federal Provincial Local Main concerns Inclusiveness Equity and justice proportional representation Regional power and interests Stronger State/ more interventionist Civil Society and Private Sector Role Reduced International Partners

Public Policy Evaluation Implementation Effectiveness/ Efficiency, Sustainability Relevance Values considered Democracy Inclusiveness Participation of stakeholders Consensus Equity Protection of diversity and pluralism

Sources of Data for Policy Making National Census every 10 years Surveys (periodic) Living Standard Surveys, Nepal Demographic Health Survey, Labor Force Survey, sectoral surveys, Nepal Rastra Bank data, and others International agencies’ reports Independent research institutions Academic works

Issues Concerning Public Policy Ownership Political representatives Affected people Real stakeholders Accountability Problem analysis In adequate information Availability/adequacy/ reliability/ comparability and correctness of data Rigor of analysis/ conclusion/recommendation Resources commitment Implementation capacity

Issues Concerning ….. Other Linkage between Learning and improving Policy Plan Program/ projects Activities Resources Learning and improving Weak loop Institution/ mandate/ Capacity Other

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