Initiatives Imperative for Addressing Citizens’ Rights and Country’s Needs

With the completion of election results, political parties in the alliance and others have intensified meetings for the formation of a new government.

Utilizing this transition, the businesspersons and industrialists are courting the ministers, party chiefs and even the prime minister to take special initiatives to boost the national economy.

The political leaderships are handed over the checklists to ensure economic growth with promotion and protection of industries and businesses. In this connection, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) on December 5 held separate meetings with the Chairperson of CPN (UML), KP Sharma Oli, and Chairperson of CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The RSS reported that the delegation led by FNCCI President Shekhar Golchha urged both leaders to play a leading role to protect the country’s economy, as there are multi-faceted effects on the economy.

The team expressed concern saying the first quarter review of monetary policy of the current fiscal year did not address the problems and urged them for their cooperation and coordination in resolving the problems.

Golchha urged the party chiefs to understand the sensitivity of the economy. The revenue was unable to cover the general expenses and the inflation remained highest since seven years, he drew the attention towards the fact that the private sector that got the economy going was shrinking.Similarly, the businesspersons’ team had met Finance Minister Janardan Sharma on December 4 and urged him for the efforts to prop up the national economy.

The team reiterated that the first quarter review of monetary policy showed negligible progress. On the occasion, Minister Sharma thanked the FNCCI for its concern over the economic status and that the government would work in cooperation from its side to address the problems.

In addition to these references, there are several other news stories that warrant the government’s attention and engagement to speed up concrete efforts for national development and economy.Another news story the RSS disseminated with Jumla dateline on December 3 showed a pathetic situation of unemployment at home: At a time when the counting of votes for the election of House of Representatives and Province Assembly was going on, the youths in the district began leaving for foreign employment.

Chairperson of Sinja Rural Municipality, Purna Prasad Dhital said, “There are no opportunities for youths in villages. Therefore, they are leaving for jobs and studying in India. With the exodus, the number of men has decreased sharply following the voting.”He added that they were forced to leave homes to earn money to run the family.

The youths from this district visit especially Uttaranchal and Himanchal states of neighbouring India for jobs.Needless to say, the official figure of youths leaving the country for foreign jobs is also on rise of late.

The Department of Foreign Employment issued countrywide labour approval to 44,034 persons in a month alone- Ashoj 2079 (2022-09-17 to 2022-10-17).

It clearly warrants the need of creating jobs within the country. The statistics and the stories are some of the stark reminders how we have not been successful in creating jobs within home for the youths.

Are the youths only for voting purposes- the cause for one’s win? How do our political parties and leaders take this harrowing story of Jumla? Do they remember their election manifestos that mentioned the creation of jobs within the country for tens of thousands of youths and contributing to the national economy?

If the politics does not deliver to the people, how can people continue to trust on political leaderships and parties? These are some intriguing questions to which our newly elected people’s representatives and the imminent government must mull.It is worth noting that the Nepali Congress, in its recent election manifesto, had announced to create 1.2 million jobs within five years and aimed at achieving at least seven percent annual economic growth.

Similar announcements were made by other political parties. Undoubtedly, Nepal is rich in political struggles and movements. It has witnessed various systems ranging from autocratic Rana regime to royal takeover and party-less Panchayat system to multiparty democracy and currently, the federal republic.

Democracy (prajatantra) is further defined as ‘loktantra’ with the abolishment of monarchy, but have we refined our behaviour to foster development and cement the system?Now, with the election, a democratic exercise, the existing ruling coalition is highly likely to form the new government.

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba is poised to become the next prime minister- for the sixth time- on the ground that his party has garnered majority of votes in FPTP category, and he has shown ability to work in coalition culture as well. Interestingly, the coalition is made up of the parties with different ideologies. The coalition formed in response to UML Chair KP Oli’s dissolution of the House of Representatives twice has remained intact till date and planned to go ahead for some years.

However, how it will deliver on the promises it made before people during the election is much awaited. These parties need to adopt a common approach to take ahead development activities and ensure economic growth. Needless to say, we Nepalis are proud of the Constitution we have as it has guaranteed several rights to us.

For example, under the ‘Fundamental Rights and Duties’, Article 33 has mentioned ‘Right to Employment,’ which says: “Every citizen shall have the right to employment, and every citizen shall have the right to choose employment.” It has been almost seven years since the country got a new constitution, but how effectively it has been enforced is a matter to mull.Unless we create a robust foundation along with infrastructures for effective implementation of the national charter, the realization of rights is elusive and meaningful change in people’s life is a mirage.

It is imperative for the new government to pay heed to this regard. Among several ‘to-do’ checklists, creation of jobs within the country, modernizing agriculture, boosting domestic production and propping up the economy are essential ones. The government should clear the bottlenecks in policy, law and procedures to run business and industries effectively by paying heed to the suggestions furnished by the concerned bodies.

Addressing citizen’s rights is a true implementation of the constitution. Importantly, democracy must not limit to the exercise by political parties but be percolated to people’s lives.

(Narayan Prasad Ghimire/RSS)