Administrative Federalization Punya Prasad Neupane

Presentation outline Understanding federalization Understanding Administrative Federalization Context of Nepal’s federalization Approach to administrative federalization: Bing Bang vs. Gradualism Process of Administrative federalization: Function to structure to staffing Issues and challenges

Warm up questions What is federalism? Why did Nepal go for federalization? What do you mean by administrative federalization? How do you see the role of public administration in the total federalization of the country? Governance, NASC 2015

Understanding federalization Federalism is a dynamic process in which power is distributed from a unitary center to a multilevel system of government that includes a federal government and two or more subnational levels of government. Federal systems can be broadly categorized as “dual” or “cooperative”

Understanding…(cont) There is no single model for a federal system of government which is applicable to all national contexts. Federal systems vary extensively between countries

Administrative Federalization Public administration has to be restructured in tune of the state restructuring in the federal setup. The primary objectives of the federalism are in fact improved delivery of public services, greater recognition and inclusion of disadvantaged groups, and regionally balanced development. A federalized Public administration is expected to be more efficient, more effective and more transparent.

Nepal’s context of federalization With the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal by the Constituent Assembly in Asoj 3,2072 Nepal has officially been declared as a federal democratic republican state. As per the constitutional provision we have three orders of government: federal, provincial and local Provisions of seven provincial and N number of local governments Exclusive and concurrent functions of all three tiers of government enlisted

Nepal’s…(cont) Article 57 has provision of assignments for all three tiers of governments and their details are given in Annex 5,6,7,8and 9. Article 58 has envisioned Residual Rights Article 285 speaks of the public administration system of the country in the federal setup. Article 302 is about administrative transition.

धारा २८५ सरकारी सेवाको गठन (१) नेपाल सरकारले देशको प्रशासन संचालन गर्न संघीय निजामती सेवा र आवश्यकता अनुसार अन्य संघीय सरकारी सेवाहरुको गठन गर्न सक्नेछ। त्यस्ता सेवाहरुको गठन, संचालन र सेवाका शर्त संघीय ऐन बमोजिम हुनेछ। (२) संघीय निजामती सेवा लगायत सवै संघीय सरकारी सेवामा प्रतियोगितात्मक परीक्षाद्वारा पदपूर्ति गर्दा संघीय कानून बमोजिम खुला र समानुपातिक समावेशी सिद्धांतका आधारमा हुनेछ। ।।। Governance, NASC 2015

धारा २८५… (३) प्रदेश मन्त्रिपरिषद, गाउँ कार्यपालिका र नगर कार्यपालिकाले आफ्नो प्रशासन संचालन गर्न आवश्यकता अनुसार कानून बमोजिम विभिन्न सरकारी सेवाहरुको गठन गर्न सक्नेछन्। Governance, NASC 2015

धारा ३०२ ३०२.प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहमा सरकारी सेवाहरुको गठन र संचालन: ३०२.प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहमा सरकारी सेवाहरुको गठन र संचालन: (१) प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहमा आबश्यक सेवा प्रबाह गर्न नेपाल सरकारले आबश्यक व्यबस्था गर्नेछ (२) उअपधरा (१) बमोजिमको व्यवस्था गर्दा यो संबिधान प्रारम्भ हुँदाका बखत सरकारी सेवामा कार्यरत राष्ट्रसेवक कर्मचारीलाई नेपाल सरकारले कानून बमोजिम संघ,प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहमा समायोजन गरि सेवा प्रबाहको व्यवस्था मिलाउन सक्नेछ Governance, NASC 2015

Assignments for Administrative federalization Formulation of new laws and policies Development of new institutions Reorganization of existing institutional arrangements Restructuring of civil service Allocation of staff Development of mechanisms and process Resource management and financing

Approach to administrative federalism Big Bang: a radical approach to bringing change in the existing system Gradualism: a gradual change approach rather than sudden change Article 302 (2) , a clear indication of gradualism

Process of administrative federalization Process of administrative federalism starts with the analysis of functions and assignments of the governments Functions demands for institutional arrangements (structures) Staffing follows structures

Principles of Service Delivery Principle of subsidiarity Efficiency Effectiveness Equity and inclusiveness

Efforts made Analysis of sector functions and assignments in progress Structures and staffing estimated Inter-governmental (vertical) and intra-institutional (horizontal) linkage studied Drafting of new laws and policies Commission for delimitation of local governments Constitutional commissions activated

Issues and challenges The constitution has not been able to finalize the shapes and sizes of provincial and local governments Risk of disruption of service delivery may happen in the administrative federalization process. Constitutional commissions like National Natural Resource and Fiscal Commission not constituted.

Issues…(cont) Provisioning of unlimited Fundamental Rights in the constitution Ambiguities in state power allocation to the provincial and local governments Preoccupied mindset in the state functionaries Limited human resource Limited resources and financing Political instability and weak commitment Discontent in the Madheshi and Janajati leaders

Thank you