Karnali Provincial Government Lacks Functionality, Criticizes RPP Lawmaker

Surkhet. In a meeting of the Karnali Provincial Assembly held on Thursday, Santoshi Shahi of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) stated that the Karnali Provincial Government has failed to become functional.

She pointed out that the overall budget expenditure being only 19 percent and the development budget only 12 percent by the end of Falgun month indicates the government's failures.

'We always blame the center, saying the budget is insufficient or there are no resources,' she questioned, 'But the question is, why couldn't the allocated budget be spent? Is the problem with resources or capability?'

Shahi stated that no one has the excuse to stop working now by citing the 'Gen Z' movement or using elections as a reason. She added, 'The public now wants results, not excuses.'

Furthermore, she drew the government's attention to popular programs like 'Bank Account for the Daughter, Security for Life' initiated for the security of daughters in Karnali, and long-term programs like 'Digital Education' being left abandoned.

She asked, 'Shouldn't the government take responsibility for such programs? Or is the public only remembered when it's time to launch programs?' She also raised questions about the Provincial Public Service Commission remaining without leadership for a year.

'Is keeping constitutional bodies like a 'pendulum' consistent with democratic values?' Shahi questioned. She mentioned that although the Provincial Stadium in Birendranagar was promoted as a provincial pride project, it has become dilapidated and abandoned even before its construction is complete.

Questioning the Chief Minister and the Minister for Social Development, she asked, 'Why is the project, which could be completed by paying 9 crore rupees, stalled?' She added, 'Is the inability to even appoint a member-secretary for the Sports Council not a minor lapse, but proof of completely incompetent leadership?'

She also demanded an answer from the government regarding the non-implementation of reports prepared by the expert team formed by the Council of Ministers, such as the report on the Provincial Hospital and the report on the restructuring of the Provincial Government.

Questioning the efficiency of the ministers, Shahi stated that ministers are merely marking attendance and leaving, not making decisions or taking responsibility.

'Today's Karnali government does not look like a government; it seems like it exists or not,' she said. 'We enacted dozens of laws. But there has been no review of whether those laws are being implemented. If laws are only limited to paper, what is the justification for making such laws?'