In a bid to provide immediate relief to the people who expected so much from him, the prime minister on September 10 announced altogether 243 programs under an Immediate Relief Program, in an address to the nation. [break]
The relief programs ranged from managing the current transition, promoting good governance and ensuring smooth supply of daily consumer goods to improving law and order.
But the latest report on the status of implementation of the programs, prepared by the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, shows that only 25 programs have been implemented fully as of January 14 while most key programs that will impact daily life still await implementation.
These key programs are among 83 that remain unimplemented as of January 14 when the latest report on the implementation status was prepared. According to the report, 130 programs are currently under implementation.
To begin with, the government had announced five programs for the management of the current transition, including initiatives to enact laws on a truth and reconciliation commission and a commission on enforced disappearances within 15 days, and returning properties seized during the conflict period to the rightful owners within three months.
Though the prime minister and the Maoist party issued circulars to Maoist cadres to return the seized properties, the righful owners are yet to see any implementation of the decision, due to opposition from the Baidya faction of the party.
Secondly, promoting good governance was one of the four priorities announced by the prime minister after his election to the post on August 28.
This was reflected in the Immediate Relief Programs that proposed eight programs for good governance in public offices, including filling vacant posts at constitutional bodies and diplomatic missions within 15 days, introducing an inclusion bill, introducing e-tenders and setting up separate units at each ministry to address public concern over corruption, among other things. Only the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has set up such a unit.
The government recently filled the vacancies at diplomatic missions but doing so at constitutional bodies is still a far cry. Though the Constitutional Council called for applications from aspiring candidates long ago, selecting competent candidates is not a matter of political priority despite repeated exhortations from parliament´s State Affairs Committee.
Thirdly, the government also promised to improve the supply of daily consumer goods at reasonable prices and committed itself to distributing ration cards to landless squatters, freed Kamaiyas, Dalits, haliya agricultural laborers, students and the physically challenged. But the report shows that this program has gathered dust at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies.
Similarly, another program that was announced under the package but has yet to be been implemented is withdrawing security personnel deputed at the residences of senior security officials for work as domestic help. The Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Home Affairs were supposed to implement the program.
"We have issued a circular to security agencies under the Home Ministry not to depute security personnel to work as domestic help at anyone´s residence," said Shankar Koirala, spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, when asked why the ministry did not carry out that responsibility.
Fourthly, the relief program promised social security for the marginlized. Though nine out of 10 programs for social security and development have been implemented, the most important among such programs --establishing a legal fast track for dealing with cases concerning domestic violence against women -- is far from implementation as work in this regard is yet to start.
Likewise, the Immediate Relief Programs had vowed to improve the delivery of public services by sending back all government employees to their postings such as at health posts and resource centers in the remote parts of the country. But the government report says that the ministries concerned are yet to carry out that obligation.
Establishing a microfinance fund and enacting laws to provide loans to the poor at lower interest rates was another promise. Similarly, the government had announced it was to lower the interest rate on loans for Dalits, freed Kamaiyas, Badis, Haliya, the conflict-affected, single women, the physically challenged and senior citizens. But these commitments have turned out to be mere lip service.
The relief program included schemes for smooth supply of daily consumer goods in the Karnali region. In addition to establishing fair price outlets at the district headquarters in the region, the government announced the supply of 15,000 metric tons of food in 30 hill and mountain districts at a subsidized rate. Similarly, supplying 40,000 quintals of iodized salt in 22 remote districts was another program under the relief package. But all these programs have yet to be implemented, according to the report.
"Some of the programs have been implemented while others are under implementation," claimed Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies Purushottam Ojha, whose ministry is responsible for the implemention.
Among the ministries, the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Science and Technology have not carried out even a single one of the programs. Both ministries were supposed to implement five programs each under the relief package.
But Minister for Environment Hemraj Tated, when contacted, said he was busy and could not comment on why his ministry ignored the implementation of the programs.
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