Kathmandu January 26.

All eight local governments in Banke except Nepalgunj sub metropolis seem to have ignored the legal responsibility of introducing the Good Governance Promotion Act thus stalling the process for forming the good governance committee. It may be noted that in November 2017, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development had directed the local levels to constitute the eight-member committee by formulating the Act. But the situation suggests the all local governments except Nepalgunj sub-metropolis are not serious towards the promotion of good governance at the local levels. Kohalpur municipality deputy mayor Sanju Kumari Yadav said though the introduction of the Act was delayed, the municipality was committed to promoting good governance and transparency in its every activity. Similarly, Janaki rural municipality chair Ramniwas Yadav admitted the formulation of Act was awaited, but the agenda had been incorporated in the rural municipality’s policies and programmes. “The necessity of introduction of a separate act has not been realised highly when the issue has been already included in the policies and programmes. But, if it is mandatory by law, we are determined to do this in consultation with legal experts.” When approached, Duduwa rural municipality chief administrative officer Bishnu Prasad Dhital said they were preparing to issue the Act. “Though we have still no separate act, the local government is fully committed to practicing the good governance,” he spoke in line with Kohalpur’s people’s representatives. Baijanath rural municipality chief administrative officer Ram Prasad Sapkota said they did not want to draft the Act in hurry bearing in mind its consequences in the implementation. The law requires the local bodies to form the committee and sub-committee to promote accountability and governance. Moreover, alhough the Nepalgunj sub-metropolis has already formed the committee, the body has not been able to perform as per the goals, it is reported. Local governments not aware of Act Khajura rural municipality chair Kismat Kumar Kashyapati expressed ignorance of the legal provision for forming the committee. As he said, he has not yet heard about the Governance Promotion Strategy and Action Plan 2074 BS’ introduced by the government. “Now I knew about this”, he said, pledging to proceed towards that end soon. Narainapur rural municipality chair Istiyak Rai also said he had not heard about the committee yet. It has not been formed till now not because of our intention, but due to the ignorance. We are fully committed to making a process for the same, he stressed. The government had endorsed the Governance Promotion Strategy and Action Plan on November 14, 2017 and dispatched a letter on November 27 same year to all local levels, seeking its implementation.