scholarly journals Federalism Practice in Nepal: Does it Move in the Expected Course?

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 20-34
Author(s):  
Keshav K. Acharya
Keyword(s):  
Intergovernmental Relations ◽  
Separation Of Powers ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Power Equalization ◽  
Identity Based ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Key Questions

This study examines how far Nepal's current practice of federalism has progressed toward people's aspirations, based on power separation, public trust, power equalization, and intergovernmental relationships. Primary data was collected on purposively 72 key informant interviews, which were then triangulated by the KII response. Finding demonstrates that functions and authorities were devolved in accordance with the principle of separation of powers at all three levels of government. However, the constitutional provisions were completely disregarded, and power was centralized by an unholy alliance of political leadership and bureaucracy. Second, people expected the democratic government to take a welfare approach to ensure greater pluralism and alliances, but special interests of politicians for their election constituencies, as well as identity-based issues, caused havoc in the effective operation of federalism. Third, the provision of three tiers of power-sharing mechanisms was based on coexistence, cooperation, and coordination. However, the federal government appears hesitant to support sub-national governments due to the centralized mindset of bureaucrats and politicians. Fourth, the constitution has focused on intergovernmental relations, but such relationships fail due to imbalances in vertical and horizontal relationships, fiscal dependency, and the bureaucracy's power-seeking attitude. In the end, two key questions for the discussions are raised. First, the institutionalization of accountability at the local level is it a true commitment, or is it merely an ivory tower? Second, the provision of autonomy has been used as a means of transformation or simply as a bargaining tool at the local level?

scholarly journals Study on Potentiality of Biogas Plants and Their Role for the Conservation of Environment

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Dinesh Ghimire ◽  
Jagannath Shrestha ◽  
Anup K.C
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Household Surveys ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
The People ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Biogas Plants ◽  
Biogas Technology

This study presents the potentiality of biogas plants and their role for the conservation of environment. It is basedon primary data collected from 84 household surveys, 6 key informant interviews and two focus group discussions. It was observed that more than 95% of the people residing in the VDCs were using firewood as a main source ofenergy. The total amount of firewood consumed was 510.570 ton/year which emits 775.052tCO2e/year. Due to the presence of agriculture based livestock holding population, there is a great potential of biogas technology. Thestudy showed that biogas technology could saved 34.40% of firewood which conserves 5.415 ha of forests area. There is a potentiality of 58 biogas plants of size 6 cu.m which will reduce 440.800 tCO2e/year.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/njst.v15i2.12114Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 15, No.2 (2014) 51-56

scholarly journals THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF BUDGET DECENTRALIZATION IN THE CONTEXT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORMS IN UKRAINE

2018 ◽  
pp. 7-19
Author(s):  
Taisiia BONDARUK ◽  
Oksana VINNYTSKA ◽  
Maksym DUBYNA
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Main Motive ◽  
Methodological Principles ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Regional Authorities ◽  
Budget Decentralization

Introduction.The urgency of studying theoretical foundations of budget decentralization for Ukraine is conditioned by the necessity of developing an effective scheme of macroeconomic regulation of social and economic processes in the context of decentralization. The process of social and economic development in Ukraine on a democratic and legal basis is impossible without increasing the role of the local self-government. Decentralization is one of the main motive forces in reforming self-government today. The purposeis deepening theoretical and methodological principles of budget decentralization and theoretical aspects of budget decentralization with the definition of its influence on processes of state regulation in Ukraine. Results.It is substantiated that in modern science theoretical aspects of decentralization are considered in relation to its types. The classification of decentralization types is carried out depending on their characteristics: financial (fiscal) one is the process of distribution of functions, financial resources and responsibility for their use between central and local levels of management; budget one, in the broadest sense, is the division of responsibility between authorities of different levels (including national governments, regional authorities and local self-government bodies) with the management of budgetary resources; in the narrow sense it is the presence of certain functions and powers at the local level, autonomy of local authorities in making independent decisions in the fiscal sphere. Conclusions.It is substantiated that budget and financial decentralization considerably influences the formation of local budgets. It is found that the decentralization course shows both prospects and problems of the Ukrainian development. Grouping the main benefits and positive effects of decentralization is carried out. The research analysis made it possible to establish that decentralization may have the risks and dangers grouped in the article.

scholarly journals Local Government: Constitutional Vision and Present Practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-128
Author(s):  
Krishna Man Pradhan
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Power Allocation ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Federal Level ◽  
Allocation System ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Opposition Party ◽  
Present Practice

Is it local government or local level unit of provincial and federal level governments? The constitution is still unclear. The constitution has not any provision of opposition party but it has executive, legislative and judiciary power allocation system of the organs of a government. To explore the vision and practice of local governance in Nepal, the study has been conducted. The methodology consists of analyzing primary and secondary sources. Primary data have been collected through field discussions with the stakeholders. Regarding the local governance various recommendations are presented in conclusion.

Cybercrime as a Threat to Zimbabwe's Peace and Security

2019 ◽  
pp. 365-380
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Kurebwa ◽  
Jacqueline Rumbidzai Tanhara
Keyword(s):  
Communication Networks ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Critical Infrastructure ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Peace And Security ◽  
The Subject ◽  
International Threat

The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of cybercrime to Zimbabwe's peace and security. In the 21st century, cybercrime has become an international threat. This has necessitated many states to enact legislation and other measures to curb cybercrime. Primary data was gathered through key informant interviews, while documentary search was used to review scholarly literature on the subject. Key informants for the study were drawn from institutions that deal in combating cybercrime. Zimbabwe does not have adequate and effective legislative instruments to combat cybercrime. Cybercrime is a threat to peace and security as it can be used to bring down critical infrastructure and disrupt communication networks of the country. Some of the measures identified to curbing cybercrime include prevention and awareness, training and development, development of new technology and introduction of new laws, and updating of current and introduction of new legislations.

Cybercrime as a Threat to Zimbabwe's Peace and Security

2020 ◽  
pp. 1107-1122
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Kurebwa ◽  
Jacqueline Rumbidzai Tanhara
Keyword(s):  
Communication Networks ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Critical Infrastructure ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Peace And Security ◽  
The Subject ◽  
International Threat

The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of cybercrime to Zimbabwe's peace and security. In the 21st century, cybercrime has become an international threat. This has necessitated many states to enact legislation and other measures to curb cybercrime. Primary data was gathered through key informant interviews, while documentary search was used to review scholarly literature on the subject. Key informants for the study were drawn from institutions that deal in combating cybercrime. Zimbabwe does not have adequate and effective legislative instruments to combat cybercrime. Cybercrime is a threat to peace and security as it can be used to bring down critical infrastructure and disrupt communication networks of the country. Some of the measures identified to curbing cybercrime include prevention and awareness, training and development, development of new technology and introduction of new laws, and updating of current and introduction of new legislations.

More Voice, Less Exit

2020 ◽  
pp. 12-50
Author(s):  
Christian Freudlsperger
Keyword(s):  
Market Integration ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Intergovernmental Relations ◽  
Central Line ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
Procurement Policy ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Self Rule ◽  
Rule Systems ◽  
Intervening Factors

The second chapter constructs a theoretical framework to account for the introduced research puzzle. Building on a central line of work on ‘federal dynamics’, it argues that the institutions and procedures of intergovernmental relations bear a decisive impact on a multilevel system’s ability to organize openness to international trade. While self-rule systems build on power-hoarding and the delineation of spheres of competence, shared rule systems rely on collaborative power-sharing between central and subcentral executives. In reference to Hirschman’s seminal concepts of exit and voice, the chapter then posits that any multilevel polity endows subcentral executives with a specific amount of voice in the making of trade and procurement policy. This voice it expects to be inversely related to exit: the more voice subcentral executives are equipped with, the less they dispose of an incentive to exit from a system-wide policy or international commitment. As shared-rule systems endow constituent units with more voice in polity-wide trade policy-making, they should organize openness more effectively than self-rule systems. At the same time, the inverse relationship between voice and exit does not unfold in an experimental vacuum. Depending on the specific policy sector, intervening factors can come to affect constituent units’ propensity to seek exit without affecting the amount of their voice. In the specific field of trade and procurement policy, the book expects two such policy-specific factors potentially to affect constituent units’ degree of exit. These are the amount of domestic procurement market integration and the politicization of international procurement liberalization.

scholarly journals Power sharing at the local level: evidence on opting-in for non-citizen voting rights

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alois Stutzer ◽  
Michaela Slotwinski
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Change ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Voting Rights ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
Panel Analysis ◽  
Cultural Minority ◽  
Electoral Support ◽  
Swiss Canton

AbstractThe enfranchisement of foreigners is likely one of the most controversial frontiers of institutional change in developed democracies, which are experiencing an increasing number of non-citizen residents. We study the conditions under which citizens are willing to share power with non-citizens. To this end, we exploit the setting of the Swiss canton of Grisons, where municipalities are free to decide on the introduction of non-citizen voting rights at the local level (a so called opting-in regime). Consistent with the power dilution hypothesis, we find that enfranchisement is less likely when the share of resident foreigners is large. Moreover, municipalities with a large language/cultural minority are less likely to formally involve foreigners. In contrast, municipality mergers seem to act as an institutional catalyst, promoting democratic reforms. A supplementary panel analysis on electoral support for an opting-in regime in the canton of Zurich also backs the power dilution hypothesis, showing that a larger share of foreigners reduces support for an extension of voting rights.

scholarly journals The ‘silent pistol’ in Ghana’s local government system: presiding members vs. chief executives

2016 ◽  
pp. 161-180
Author(s):  
Issah Justice Musah-Surugu ◽  
Emmanuel Yeboah-Assiamah
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Potential Conflict ◽  
Chief Executives ◽  
Main Research

Decentralisation and local governance aim at local economic development, but collaboration among key actors at the local level is essential in realising this objective. However, at district assembly level Ghana exhibits problematic conflicts between district chief executives (DCEs), who head the executive committee, and presiding members (PMs) who convene and preside over assembly deliberations, acting as speaker. This study aims to unpack the main causes of such unsavoury conflicts by using 13 case studies from the Ashanti Region. Both primary and secondary data were collected for the study. Primary data was gathered from a selection of 40 key informants drawn from three main groups including DCEs, PMs, and other stakeholders such as regional coordinating council members, assembly members and chiefs. The main research instrument was one-on-one in-depth interviews with participants. The study found deep-seated conflicts between DCEs and PMs, in some cases even transcending these two actors to involve a greater section of actors within the local government administration. The study noted that professional bureaucrats within the local government service are affected when allegations of affiliation are levelled against them. The study also found that the legal status of DCEs and PMs appears to be the main driver of potential conflict, although other context-specific issues were also prevalent.

scholarly journals Bringing Institutional Economics to Bear in Understanding Ghana’s Performance on Multi-Stakeholder Interventions

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
Kafui Afi Ocloo ◽  
Charles Yaw Oduro ◽  
Ronald Adamtey
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Institutional Economics ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
New Institutional Economics ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Endogenous Development ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
The Individual

Existing literature on Ghana’s performance on the decentralized planning system hardly explores the role of individual rationality and organizational rationality in explaining performance on development efforts. This article examines whether the proposition of the New Institutional Economics (NIE) that decisions that individuals make constitute trans-actions in which costs and debts are incurred has a bearing on the performance of institutions involved in endogenous development processes at the local level. The case study methodology was employed using two purposively selected water supply schemes in Ghana. In-depth interviews and questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Secondary data was obtained from project reports. The findings indicated that even during the pursuit of an endogenous development strategy at the local level, the performance of the local stakeholders was determined by the state of intra-stakeholder structures. This in turn, was a sum of the decisions and actions of the individual members of the entities that were the main actors (i.e. the stakeholders). The NIE’s proposition that trans-action cost is key basis for individuals’ decisions and action was clearly evident in the decisions and actions of individuals (i.e. staff of the main actors), but it also was evident in the decisions and actions of the main actors (the entities that were the stakeholders). The study recommends that key development actors and the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing devote more attention to researching into how internal organizational conditions affect and shape the performance of stakeholders on the systems and how the existing intra and inter-stakeholder mechanisms can be improved to foster the success of development efforts at the local level.

scholarly journals Technological Intervention in Agriculture Development

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 86-97
Author(s):  
Rajan Binayek Pasa
Keyword(s):  
Rural Economy ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Technological Intervention ◽  
Agriculture Development

Agriculture sector is the single largest employer in the world. Even in Nepal, agriculture sector provides net employment to 60 percent people. In this contexts, this study highlighted importance of technological intervention in agriculture development. However, focus was given to assess socio-economic situations of the farmers and impact of modern technological interventions. In so doing, the survey was conducted in Lele Village of Godavari Municipality. The respondents were randomly selected 152 sample households using modern/traditional agriculture technologies. The necessary primary data collected through households’ survey questionnaires, observation and informal communications whereas secondary data generated from published/unpublished books, journals, inter/national reports and local level profiles. The study found that modern technological intervention has been fostering commercial farming activities in Lele village and increased family income, creating self-employment and generating rural economy in particular and supporting to the rural development process in general. Further, local development stakeholders need to provide technical/financial supports to the farmers for mounting intervention of modern agriculture technology in Lele village. The finding of the study has possibility to replicate in similar situation throughout the country.Nepalese Journal of Development and Rural StudiesVol. 14 (Joint issue) (1&2), 2017, Page: 86-97

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