The government plan to dissolve some of the committees under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) has hit a snag, with the concerned committees seeking greater role once the country has fully adopted the federal set-up.
The government plan to dissolve some of the committees under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) has hit a snag, with the concerned committees seeking greater role once the country has fully adopted the federal set-up.
With various constitutional commissions already in place to oversee the functions of the committees under the MoFALD, the government is planning to dissolve the committees.
The prime minister-led National Problem Resolution Committee (NPRC) had recently decided to transform the resources of the committees to the commissions.
In line with this decision, the NPRC and the MoFALD had corresponded with the committees, asking them to come up with an appropriate exit strategy within a week.
The committees, however, have responded by submitting reports, proposing renewed and restrengthened roles for them under federal structure.
“The committees have instead proposed strengthening their structures by expanding them to the provincial and local levels,” said Bed Bahadur Karki, joint secretary at the MoFALD.
“We have received reports from four committees, including the National Foundation for the Development of Indigenous Nationalities, with the proposition that they should be further strengthened in the changed context,” he added.
Dalit Bikas Samiti (DBS), in its report, has proposed a powerful prime minister-led body having provincial and local structures as well.
Noting that the country’s Dalit community are still vulnerable, the DBS has argued that the presence of National Dalit Commission alone is not sufficient..
The Badi Community Development Committee has also presented a similar argument, that it should not be dissolved because the National Dalit Commission cannot address all the concerns of the community.
Meanwhile, the National Foundation for the Development of Indigenous Nationalities has proposed its expansion to the local levels, arguing that its existence has become more significant in the changed context to safeguard the indigenous culture, tradition and language.
There was no mention of exit strategy in their reports.
The MoFALD is planning to forward the reports to the NPRC.
It is now up to the government to decide on the matter.
Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
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