Seven years of federal experiences fruitful: Chief Minister Giri

Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Leela Giri today said seven years of experiences of federalism had been fruitful.

He stressed the need for additionally empowering the provincial government for further protecting such achievements. “We have reached this far with seven years of federal experience. Protection of achievements and learning from mistakes took place in between,” he said talking to Rastriya Samachar Samiti.

However, development is a long-term process, and a lack of awareness among people may create problems. “There are disappointments among people due to the tendency of expecting results in haste. Some have gone against the system after results could not take place to meet unrealistic promises distributed during a system change,” he said.

For fully empowering provincial and local levels, all rights as stipulated in the constitution should be handed to them, and the federal government should make the Civil Service Act, the Provincial Police Act and the Education Act, he was of the view. “Allocation of rights guaranteed by the constitution has yet to be complete,” he said, adding that the provincial governments are lagging behind for want of resources.

“Although the constitution stipulates that all three governments are autonomous, the central government should play a role of guardianship, and the local level should be made responsible. The provincial government is playing as a mediator. The provincial government as being at the leadership should facilitate in the area where the central government cannot reach. For this, all rights should be allocated, they be made responsible, and their evaluation must take place,” he said.

He also called for the central government to facilitate and increase the line of assistance for the provinces to construct roads and infrastructures. Besides, he stressed the need for making the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission active.