KATHMANDU, Feb 24: Garnering a comfortable majority in the Parliamentary elections, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has taken charge of the premiership of the country on February 15.
As probably the most powerful prime minister after the restoration of democracy in 2046 BS, people have pinned high hopes on leader Oli for smart delivery to bring the country out from the abyss of economic doldrums and lack of good governance.
Likewise, the PM is also in public pressure for effective delivery from the top executive post as the election manifesto of the left alliance comprising CPN (UML) and Maoist Centre sought votes with the commitment to ensure stability and development, and ultimately socialism.
Categorically, the current government, which is yet to get a full shape, has some serious challenges to overcome and resolve them. However, the lone efforts of the government don’t suffice to troubleshoot all and hence other parties on board and the opposition too should offer their constructive support in such a historic responsibility of nation building process.
The first major challenge this government should overcome is managing federalism in the changed context. The success of the KP Oli-led government lies on better service delivery to the commoners through the local levels in an accessible and efficient manner. But, deployment of the government officials in the local levels and even in the provinces has become a serious challenge so far as the local bodies are run on ad hoc basis for lack of required number of government employees. Deployment of the government employees and getting things done on time is fully associated with the establishment of the good governance. Success or failure of the local levels depends on the integrity and deployment of the officials, their service delivery and decision making capacity of the people's representatives.
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In the last decade, Nepalis suffered badly in the name of political transition and instability. With the elections of all three levels in the aftermath of the promulgation of new constitution, we have got a strong government in the center with comfortable majority and getting pleasant public supports and sentiments. So, this is something to celebrate for the new government and, on the other hand, we will have no excuse under different pretexts.
At present, everyone has hoped that PM Oli is the right person in the right time to advance our ailing economy on the right track. People have dreamt a prosperous and developed nation, thanks to PM Oli's past commitments and some delivery, unity of the left alliance and a stable government which can go unchanged for the coming five years.
However, bringing economy on the right track is not as easy that people have thought. In order to translate Oli's commitment, or say left alliance's promise, to reach the socialism, the new government should unveil some landmark programs for the departure from the existence economy which is supposed to have introduced by NC-led government in 2048. As the existing philosophy of our economy could not turn fruitful in our case given our market, trade, supplies, geographic location, mode of productions and many things, the new government should blur the continuity of the three-decade-long economic norms and begin a fresh one.
It is almost sure that the new government of the left alliance cannot deliver well and cannot achieve its commitments in the framework of our existing model of economy. Since economy and economic philosophies are the major components for the longevity of any system, the economists and politicians of the current left alliance could have already initiated their homework for starting the new economy from the scratch.
PM Oli and Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', being the champions of left unity and advocate of socialism are all aware of the facts regarding the non-performing economy of this time.
In order to materialize the promises made by the left alliance, everyone is hopeful that PM Oli is inducting some cream economists from the Marxist school of thoughts who could seriously understand PM Oli's dream and offer him right and applicable suggestions. Such economists and technocrats would not only subvert the existing trend of our economy but also help set new trends for the new generations to come.
So, everyone is eying on PM Oli's new team members and the minister for finance in Oli's cabinet.
Likewise, another major aspect that people at home and abroad are looking curiously is the left government's steps on development of physical infrastructures. Since we lack mega infrastructure projects, the incumbent left government is supposed to begin some mega infrastructure projects which would create huge employment opportunities and ultimately contribute to the country's economy.
People are optimistic that the government would begin such projects very soon and PM Oli would come up with some surprising announcements.
Similarly, the next expectation that Nepalis have kept with the PM is construction of the railways in Nepal from China that PM Oli pledged during his first premiership when the Indian blockade had taken a toll on Nepal. Likewise, expansion of the Chinese railway in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework is a dream of Nepalis, hoping that PM Oli is the right person with guts to link Nepal and China via railways.
For sure, PM Oli is on a heap of challenges. But at the same time, he is in the comfortable zone given the comfortable majority of the left alliance, strong political party and backing of experienced politician i.e Maoist Center Chairman and former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'. So, PM Oli has the chance to become a trendsetter and keep record in the history for prosperous Nepal.
