Bagmati government struggles to showcase 100-day results

Makwanpur, November 9 — The government formed under the leadership of the Nepali Congress in Bagmati Province has completed 100 days in office. The government, led by Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama, completed its 100 days on November 1. The government has a coalition between the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) [CPN-UML] and the Nepali Congress (NC). 

Normally, after the completion of the 100-day "honeymoon period," governments present their achievements. However, the Bagmati Province government has yet to disclose its achievements for the first 100 days.

Despite the passing of 100 days, comments about the government's performance and progress have been mixed, mainly because the government has not yet shared its accomplishments. Some argue that the government’s work seems weak during this period, partly because both the Chief Minister and ministers have been busy with formal programs, inaugurations, and district-level events, leaving little time for administrative work. This delay in announcing the achievements has raised doubts about the government's performance.

From a numerical standpoint, the UML-NC coalition appears strong, with 64 members of the provincial assembly (37 from NC and 27 from UML) supporting the government. Departmental ministers have emphasized that the completion of 100 days is significant in itself. They had hoped for new political solutions and development in the country through the two largest parties in a coalition government. However, some critics suggest that despite having a strong numerical base, the government's effectiveness is still weak, pointing out the risks in the coalition’s foundation.

One minister explained that since many ministers and the Chief Minister have not shown effective performance, there has been no opportunity to highlight the 100-day achievements. Although the government has technically completed 100 days, the work done so far is considered incomplete due to disruptions caused by festivals and disasters. The minister argued that even though the government was in office for 100 days, the actual working period has been much shorter because of these unforeseen events.

The official spokesperson for the provincial government and Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Suraj Chandra Lamichhane, stated that it is up to the Chief Minister to announce the 100-day achievements. He explained that the announcement had been delayed due to the timing of the festivals. Lamichhane clarified that the government has prepared a list of its achievements, but the public announcement has been postponed due to unfavorable circumstances. He also stated that the government’s efforts have been effective and the achievements are satisfactory.

"One hundred days is not enough to make a radical change," Lamichhane said. "The government’s plans will take time to materialize. We have set up systems, and progress will be seen gradually."

Special plans kept confidential: Chief Minister Lama

Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama defended the government’s performance, claiming that it has been working effectively despite the challenges posed by festivals and disasters. He said the government has made significant strides in disaster management during these 100 days. Lama promised that the achievements of the first 100 days would soon be made public in a press conference. 

He explained that since the budget implementation phase began with the formation of the government, it has not been in a position to implement entirely new or large-scale projects. However, Lama assured that special plans have been kept confidential and will be revealed in the future.

He pointed out that the government faced significant challenges due to disasters, especially in the period around Tihar, which prevented it from releasing the achievements in time. "In the next Cabinet meeting, we will officially announce the 100-day achievements. Our most significant success so far has been in disaster management," he added.

Lama also emphasized that despite the difficult circumstances, the provincial government has managed to ensure that critical roads remained open during the festivals. "In the face of road blockages during the festivals, we took temporary measures to ensure there were no road disruptions," he said. 

The Chief Minister further claimed that although the government could not bring forth new large-scale plans due to being in the budget implementation phase, it has continued to work towards long-term development goals, which will become visible in due time.