Good governance precondition for economic prosperity: DPM Shrestha

Kathmandu- Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, has said the government has been moving ahead to implement the main spirit of good governance, prosperity and social justice in the country.

In today’s meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives, DPM Shrestha mentioned that prosperity was indispensable to justify the political changes. “Good governance has been the pre-condition for prosperity,” he shared, adding, “We have given priority to good governance with a target of maintaining good governance, accelerating the journey and process of prosperity and taking them to logical point and guaranteeing social justice.”

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the government has been moving ahead making good governance, prosperity and social justice as its main spirit of its immediate duties being determined towards national sovereignty, geographical integrity and protection of independence. Stating that the government was active to establish rule of law as it is the important aspect of democracy, he mentioned, “The state should play overall role to establish rule of law. Not only the state, all the state bodies should play positive role and it is the main responsibility of the state and government”.

Home Minister Shrestha expressed that they have been forwarding activities like maintaining peace and security, ending impunity and controlling crimes with priority. He also expressed concern over initiatives and activities taking place to undermine original characteristics of the country—multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-regional and multi-cultural for sometimes. “We must not allow diversities and specialties of the country to weaken under any circumstances.

The government is of the view that the problem cannot be resolved only through administration; it does not mean that law will not be implemented. The law and administration will intervene any time, it does. We all should our role while being aware about negative aspects surfaced in the country and society. I want to appeal to all for that too,” he said. Unwanted activities and plots reduced to zero Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha said unwanted activities and plots in the transfer of police have been reduced to zero.

Mentioning that plots that took place due to money and other reasons have been controlled, he said the transfer and promotion was taking place based on merits and in a legal and transparent manner. “The Home Ministry has concluded that without establishing good governance internally, our mission of good governance and service delivery as a whole cannot be fulfilled. Internal good governance means employees should go to work on time. Files of service seekers should not be stuck. Unnecessary and unwanted activities like bribery should not take place. We have focused on internal good governance so transfer of employees and replacement should take place in accordance with set standards,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister expressed the hope that unwanted activities that were taking place in the transfer of employees and their promotion in the past have been reduced to zero. “I do not want to blame anyone for what happened in the past. It has been heard that unwanted activities in the promotion, transfer and replacement of government employees would take place. These activities have been reduced to zero, I say it with guarantee. I do not mean to say that the standards of promotion and transfer have been good. There is a need to additionally amend and manage them,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha informed that preparations were underway to formulate plan to carry out reforms in the entire service delivery. For this, a taskforce would be announced within one day or two, and six sub taskforces would be made accordingly. According to him, plan is afoot to bring reforms in local administration and service delivery, immigration, prison management, national ID and civil registration and disaster management. A package will be created for reforms in the entire service delivery by managing efficient and qualified human resources. DPM and Home Minister Shrestha said he is effortful to making yoga and meditation compulsory in the bodies under his ministry. Stating that such programme is to be introduced for enhancing the police’s performance, he believed this would benefit the good-governance campaign.

He said one has to meditate compulsorily after reaching the office in the morning and this meditation is not linked to any religion and community, but would be of scientific type. The DPM shared that even in the Western countries people start their work at office and schools only after a meditation session. Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal reiterated that the government’s all bodies are actively engaged in promotion of good governance and making the public services prompt and efficient. Home Ministry Secretary Dinesh Bhattarai said the Ministry and bodies under it are vigourously working for strengthening the overall law and order situation in the country.

Nepal Police Inspector General Basanta Bahadur Kunwar and Armed Police Force Inspector General Raju Aryal informed the committee on the works being carried out to maintain law and order and preventing and controlling crime in the country as well as on keeping border security. Committee president Ramhari Khatiwada directed the bodies concerned to return within 15 days the PSOs, drivers and cooks who are assigned in breach of the set criteria to persons and officials except the VIPs and VVIPs. He also issued instruction related to the operation of essential public services that have to be rendered on holidays.