There is growing negativity surrounding the Provincial Government structure in Nepal, often criticized for being costly and divisive. However, we must recognize that Nepal has not yet fully practiced or implemented the federal system as envisioned. It is premature to judge the Provincial system as ineffective when true power has not been genuinely shared.
The Central Government still holds significant authority and has been reluctant to delegate essential powers and resources to the Provincial and Local levels. This imbalance is the root cause of inefficiency, not the federal model itself.
After the recent youth-led protests, I expected discussions to highlight the importance of empowering Provincial and Local Governments to bring real governance closer to the people. Unfortunately, this crucial issue remains overlooked — even though effective power distribution is the key to realizing Nepal’s federal promise of inclusion, accountability, and balanced development.