Good Governance and Nepal’s Governance System
Aspects of Good Governance
Good governance is directly related to the governance system and encompasses multidimensional and multifaceted characteristics. Its major aspects are as follows:
Political Aspect
- Legitimate governance, democratic values and norms, pluralism, and public participation are the political aspects of good governance.
Social Aspect
- Social justice and equality, inclusiveness, empowerment, citizen rights, and human development fall under the social aspects of good governance.
Legal Aspect
- Rule of law, judicial supremacy, a simple and efficient justice system, and people-oriented legal arrangements are the legal aspects of good governance.
Economic Aspect
- Economic development, equitable distribution of resources, financial discipline, integrity, transparency, and accountability are the economic aspects of good governance.
Managerial Aspect
- Citizen-responsive administration, effective public service delivery, stakeholder participation in decision-making processes, and competitive capacity are the managerial aspects of good governance.
Good Governance Aspects and Nepal’s Governance System
Nepal’s governance system is fundamentally democratic, republican, and parliamentary. It is constitutionally established as a federal republic but is still in a transitional phase, yet to fully materialize. Against this backdrop, Nepal’s governance system can be analyzed based on the aspects of good governance as follows:
Political Aspect
- Nepal’s governance system is politically characterized by legitimate governance and a democratic nature. However, it has not fully embraced values like public participation and pluralism, nor has it achieved political stability.
Social Aspect
- The governance system has adopted measures for social justice, inclusiveness, guaranteed citizen rights, and equitable justice through various means. However, Nepal’s social sector is still awaiting transformation, and the social aspect of good governance remains weak.
Legal Aspect
- The rule of law and an independent judiciary are constitutionally and legally guaranteed. However, Nepal’s governance system has not been entirely successful in fully complying with and implementing the law.
Economic Aspect
- Adequate policy, institutional, and operational arrangements have been made to ensure financial discipline, transparency, and accountability, with some improvements visible. Nevertheless, Nepal’s economic governance has not yet fully achieved the standards of good governance.
Managerial Aspect
- The state of public service delivery and the performance of government bodies providing public services have not fully met the standards of good governance. Various efforts have been made over time to improve the managerial aspect of Nepal’s governance system.
Thus, analyzing Nepal’s governance system through the lens of the various aspects of good governance reveals a mixed state. Good governance is also the destination of the governance system adopted by a country, and therefore, significant attention is needed in this direction.
Conclusion
Governance refers to the actions and approaches adopted by the government for the operation and management of the state. Good governance is a system where the power, authority, and responsibilities vested in governance actors are exercised to ensure citizen satisfaction.
