'Academy plays vital role in Implementing federalism'

KATHMANDU, April 29: Lumbini Province Chief Secretary Dilliram Sharma and Secretary Narendra Rana made an on-site monitoring of the Nepalgunj-based Province Training Academy that also functions as provincial center for good governance (PCGG). "The Constitution mandates the provincial and local governments to perform with autonomy in designing and delivering public services.

Now, the challenge is being addressed by province training academy by identifying gaps between the existing capacity and needs of all three tiers of the governments and undertaking research to generate evidence for successfully advancing federalism", highlighted Province Training Academy Executive Director Guru Prasad Sharma while briefing the Principal Secretary. He further shared the Academy has been imparting training to sub-national governments, especially elected people's representatives and government officials.

At an interaction Sharma said, "As Province government is the main pillar of federalism, the need assessment based training activities should focus more on capacitating elected representatives and government officials at provincial level so service delivery by the province would impart a message that doorstep governments are for effective implementation of federalism".

In addition, Secretary Rana, also Province Program Director (PPD) of Provincial and Local Governance Support Program (PLGSP), said the Lumbini province government have focused on equipping human resource, developing organizational capacity, strengthening institutional and legal framework and physical infrastructure to leverage the implementation of federalism.

On the occassion, Principal Secretary Sharma highlighted the role of the training academy in making the elected representatives and employees responsible for effective service delivery. He also lauded the technical team for their effort in quality assurance and tailoring on-demand activities. "As per the principle of separation of power, laws and bylaws, the training academy should be immediately be formed.

The existing legal framework serves key role for the execution of federalism", Sharma explained. Curriculum expert of the Academy Bishnu Neupane said the principal secretary hailed the Academy's performance in expanding relevant capacity of the people's representatives and employees in implementing federal imperatives in the Lumbini province.

Further he also instructed to prepare curriculum in a way to serve practical needs of elected representatives and officials such as code of ethics, appreciative inquiry, procurement, IT and so on. On the occasion, Local Governance expert of the Academy Prem Narayan Shrestha briefed them about the objectives and activities of the academy.