Local Governance And Service Delivery In Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal

Abstract

The history of local governance in Nepal is as long as the history of Nepal itself. The systematic practice of decentralization started in Nepal since the rise of democracy in 1951. However, the concept did not obtain much progress for long. The People's Movements I in 1990 and II in 2006 have brought significant changes in the political system. The two hundred and forty years long monarchy system has been abolished, and Nepal has been officially declared as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Among different spheres of changes brought up by the declaration, the unique approach in local governance has unlocked innovative prospects for development. At present, the local governments are responsible for day-to-day service delivery at the grassroots level. Evidences indicate that though local governments have done well in the area of local governance through delivery of services at local level, they have not been able to improve the governance through well-being of the people. They have failed in many ways to improve upon the overall livelihoods of their local people and communities. In this context, local governance is still below the level to address intensified expectations of the people. Since there is a lack of such studies attached to local governance in Nepal, this study focuses on the status of service delivery in Pokhara Metropolitan City. The study adopts descriptive cum exploratory design and a mixed-method approach in research. The information is collected from 10 service providers following in-depth interviews through semi-structured questionnaires and from 112 service seekers through structured survey questionnaires using purposive and convenient sampling methods. The study found the provision of national and locally formulated rules, laws, and regulations as a basis of service delivery in Pokhara Metropolitan City. The study noted the lack of several factors like cooperation and coordination among three tires of governments, financial and human resources, infrastructural facilities, public awareness, accountability, responsiveness, transparency, etc. as the significant challenges for service delivery. This study has important policy implications in promoting local governance in Nepal.