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NATIONAL GOVERNANCE SYMPOSIUM 2024

"Strengthening Subnational Governance for Inclusive Economic Development"

19-20 December Nepal Administrative Staff College, Jawalakhel

#NGS24

Government of Nepal Office of The Prime Minister & Council of Ministers, Singhadurbar, Kathmandu

Government of Nepal National Planning Commission

Government of Nepal Ministry of Finance

Organizing partners

How We Do it

Themes

Event Agenda

Organizers

NGS Brief

Promoting Growth Entrepreneurship and Employment in Rural Nepal

Nepal transitioned to a federal democratic republic in 2015, aiming to promote inclusion at all levels of governance- local, provincial, and federal. While the milestone transition to a federal system is an important step towards good governance and inclusive growth, there are still some significant challenges facing Nepal today.
Hundreds of thousands of youth are leaving annually, often for temporary employment abroad, leading to a drain of talent and labor force capacity. This significant out-migration points to structural issues within Nepal’s labor market- particularly lack of sufficient job opportunities, underscoring an urgent need for effective measures that foster inclusive, stable and sustainable employment.

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Mayors’ Roundtable - Local Governance for Inclusive Economic Development

Nepal’s inclusive economic development depends on the effectiveness of its local governance system. Despite constitutional provisions granting municipalities authority over key sectors like health, education, and infrastructure, challenges such as intergovernmental coordination issues, resource
constraints, and policy conflicts persist. Weak financial independence, delayed fund transfers, and limited private sector engagement hinder economic growth, while citizen participation remains inadequate. Addressing these gaps requires empowering local governments through financial, administrative, and legal reforms, alongside structured collaboration among all governance levels.Strengthening participatory planning mechanisms and integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into local strategies can help ensure equitable development and effective policy
implementation. To enhance efficiency and accountability, Nepal must focus on capacity building, youth engagement, and improved transparency. Initiatives like skill development programs and entrepreneurship platforms can leverage the potential of Nepal’s youth to drive economic progress. Strengthening governance mechanisms, such as digital platforms for financial oversight, public-private partnerships, and participatory decision-making models. These options can foster trust and streamline development efforts. Learning from successful case studies and scaling proven interventions will be critical in building a governance framework that ensures equitable growth, maximizes citizen participation, and supports long-term sustainability.

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Women's Political Participation in Local Election: Insights into Women’s Networks, Coalitions, and Gender Biases

Women in Nepal have shown increasing political aspirations, aiming to become policymakers and leaders. Over the years, there has been gradual progress in women's political participation. Despite these improvements, the increase remains marginal, especially considering Nepal's federal system has introduced inclusive rights and policies to encourage women's participation at local levels. Several barriers hinder women's political participation. In 2023, out of 7,000 women aspiring for political roles, only about 700 were nominated at ward or local government levels, reflecting a significant gap between aspirations and opportunities. Within party structures, gender disparity is stark—only 5% of members in party selection committees were women, further limiting their influence in decisionmaking processes.
Cultural and societal norms also pose challenges, as many voters are not yet prepared to accept women in leadership roles. Unlike male politicians, women politicians are fragmented and isolated, especially at the local level. Male politicians have been able to capitalize their support networks and relationships not only in terms of getting election tickets but also getting promoted within the party hierarchy. On the other hand, due lack of capacity and experience in forming political relationships, women politicians have not been able to move beyond the quota protected seats.

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Digital Governance for Enhanced Service Delivery

Nepal’s digital governance landscape faces critical challenges that hinder efficiency and citizen-centric service delivery. Data fragmentation and interoperability issues result in isolated records across government levels, forcing redundant data collection and weakening public service sustainability.
Essential documents such as birth certificates and voter IDs must be integrated into a unified system to eliminate inefficiencies and improve accessibility.
Beyond data structure, fragmented digital solutions and software sustainability remain major concerns. Independent applications for revenue management and registration often lack long-term viability due to inaccessible source codes, inconsistent security measures, and renewal-based dependencies. A centralized digital framework can mitigate these weaknesses, ensuring long-term interoperability and interagency coordination.

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Keynote Panel - The Road to Subnational Governance for Inclusive Economic Development

As Nepal's federal system matures, provincial and local governments are emerging as key players in delivering development outcomes, promoting economic equity, and ensuring inclusive subnational governance. However, this potential is constrained by weak intergovernmental coordination,
inconsistent fiscal transfers, fragmented program ownership, and limited capacity for data-driven planning. This policy brief highlights strategic interventions to strengthen provincial governance, empower local economies, and align development efforts across all tiers of government.
Key recommendations include institutionalizing Provincial Project Banks to ensure equitable resource allocation, operationalizing joint program ownership models through standardized MOUs, and formalizing a Dual-Track Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) strategy. Moreover, the brief
advocates for enhancing digital governance, strengthening Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks, and investing in capacity-building initiatives such as Provincial Leadership Academies and Governance Fellowships. Establishing outcome-linked grant formulas and transparent performance
dashboards will further drive results-oriented governance and reduce duplication of efforts.

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Chief Guest

Rt. Hon. Mr. Devraj Ghimire

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Government of Nepal

Keynote Speakers

Hon. Ms. Sapana Pradhan Malla

Justice, Supreme Court of Nepal

Ms. Laxmi Devi Pandey

President, National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN)

Special Remarks

Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire

Secretary, Ministry of Finance

Mr. Ek Narayan Aryal

Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal

Welcome Remarks

Dr. Pukar Malla

Chairperson, Governance Lab

Mr. Trilochan Pokharel

Senior Director of Studies, NASC

Closing Remarks

Ms. Darshana Shrestha

First Vice President, Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN)

Mr. Bishnu Prasad Lamsal

Deputy Executive Director, NASC

Mr. Krishna Gyawali

Senior Governance Advisor, Daayitwa

Chairs

Dr. Rajan Khanal

Executive Director, Nepal Administrative Staff College

Hon. Dr. Janaki K Tuladhar

Election Commissioner

Mr. Bharat Mani Subedi

Secretary, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration

Ms. Radhika Aryal

Secretary, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology

Mr. Krishna Raut

Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies

Mr. Madhu Kumar Marasini

Secretary, National Planning Commission

Presenters

Mr. Bishnu Adhikari

Governance Director, The Asia Foundation

Pratigya Neupane

Program Coordinator, NARMIN

Dr. Khim Lal Devkota

Chairperson, Federalism and Localization Center

Mr. Saroj Bista

Director of Governance and Impact, Young Innovations

Moderators

Dr. Prativa Pandey

CEO, Herveda Botanicals

Dr. Prabin B. Khadka

Assistant Professor, University of Essex

Ms. Sama Thapa

Associate Editor, AP1 Television

Ms. Shrinkhala Khatiwada

CEO, Gaatha

Panelists

Mr. Chiri Babu Maharjan

Mayor, Lalitpur Metropolitan City

Ms. Bimala Aryal, Mayor, Sunwal Municipality

Mayor, Sunwal Municipality

Mr. Satar Ansari

Executive Director, Province Research & Training Center, Madhesh Province

Mr. Kedar Nath Sharma

Principal Secretary, Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Koshi Province

Ms. Lila Devi Gadtaula

Former Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal

Mr. Hari Lamsal

Principal Secretary, Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Bagmati Province

Mr. Kuman Singh Gurung

Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Tourism, Gandaki Province

Ms. Juna Mathema

Chairperson, Startup and Innovation Forum, FNCCI

Dr. Sharan Kumar Pandey

Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Koshi Province

Mr. Tanka Nath Ghimire

Proprietor, Rani Mahal Fishing Resort, Palpa

Ms. Bimala Rai

Mayor, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, Khotang

Mr. Sudeep Paudel

Mayor, Kapilvastu Municipality, Kapilvastu

Mr. Mani Kumar Syangbo

Chairperson, Rong Rural Municipality

Mr. Ram Krishna Khand

Mayor, Tilottama Municipality

Mr. Ran Bahadur Rai

Mayor, Suryodaya Municipality

Event Videos

Theme: Strengthening Subnational Governance for Inclusive Economic Development

National Governance Symposium (NGS), an annual event organized by Governance Lab (Govlab) at the Daayitwa Abhiyaan, has been convening government, private sector, civil society, and academia stakeholders since 2022 to foster discussions on and create a collaborative community for governance innovations and inclusive development in Nepal. This year, with the theme of “Strengthening Subnational Governance for Inclusive Economic Development,” the Symposium will be organized on December 19-20, 2024, in partnership with Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC) and with support from government partners Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, National Planning Commission and National Planning Commission, as well as organizing partners Daayitwa and Nepal Leadership Academy.

Nepal's transition to a federal democratic republic in 2015 with power devolved across federal, provincial, and local governments aimed to restructure historical inequalities, empower marginalized communities, and enhance public service delivery by bringing governance closer to the people. However, the effectiveness of this transformation depends heavily on strengthening subnational governance systems. Robust economic governance at the subnational level is essential for inclusive economic development, enabling regions to address disparities, create opportunities, and contribute to national prosperity. NGS 2024 underscores the value of strengthening subnational entities for inclusive economic development.

In 2022, the symposium themed "Promoting Innovation in Local Governance for the Inclusive Economic Development of Nepal," was organized with support from government partners such as OPMCM, MOFAGA, and NPC. The symposium served as a platform to celebrate the success stories of innovative governance models from 12 municipalities and the event concluded with the Kathmandu Declaration for Collective Action, prioritizing inclusion, innovation, local governance, and economic development as core focus areas for advancing Nepal's governance landscape. Similarly in 2023, the symposium themed “Governance Innovations for Inclusive Development" was organized with support from government partners including OPMCM, MOFAGA, MOF, and NPC.

This year, Govlab in collaboration with its organizing partners, has designed the Symposium to achieve the following objectives:

Enhance coordination between federal, provincial, and local governments
Strengthen the capacity of sub-national governments
Promote economic governance that fosters inclusive and sustainable development

National Governance Symposium 2024

“Strengthening Subnational Governance for Inclusive Economic Development”

December 19-20, 2024

Nepal Administrative Staff College, Lalitpur

Day 1 Agenda

8:30AM-9:00AM	Registration
9:00AM- 11:00AM	Opening Ceremony
	Welcome Remarks - Dr. Pukar Malla, Chairperson, Governance Lab and Program Co-Chair
	Keynote Speaker Hon. Ms. Sapana Pradhan Malla, Justice, Supreme Court of Nepal
	Special Remarks Mr. Anjan Shrestha, Senior Vice President, Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FNCCI) Mr. Ek Narayan Aryal, Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal Chief Guest Rt. Hon. Mr. Devraj Ghimire, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal Program Chair Dr. Rajan Khanal, Executive Director, Nepal Administrative Staff College
11:00AM- 11:15AM	Group Photo and Tea/Coffee Break
11:15AM- 12:45PM	Session 1: Strengthening Capacity of Subnational Governments Chair: Mr. Bharat Mani Subedi, Secretary, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration Presentation: Mr. Tulasi Sharan Sigdel, Senior Director of Studies, Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC) Panelists: Mr. Chiri Babu Maharjan, Mayor, Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mr. Hari Lamsal, Principal Secretary, Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Bagmati Province Ms. Lila Devi Gadtaula, Former Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal Mr. Satar Ansari, Executive Director, Province Research & Training Center, Madhesh Province Moderator: Mr. Basanta Raj Sigdel, Senior Director of Studies, NASC Knowledge Partner: Center for Federalism Studies, NASC
12:45PM- 1:30PM	LUNCH
1:30PM- 3:00PM	Session 2: Promoting Growth Entrepreneurship and Employment in Rural Nepal Chair: Mr. Krishna B. Raut, Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Presentation: Mr. Sanjay Pokharel, Entrepreneurship Manager, Daayitwa Panelists: Ms. Bimala Aryal, Mayor, Sunwal Municipality Ms. Juna Mathema, Chairperson, Startup and Innovation Forum, FNCCI Dr. Sharan Kumar Pandey, Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Koshi Province Mr. Tanka Nath Ghimire, Proprietor, Rani Mahal Fishing Resort, Palpa Moderator: Dr. Prativa Pandey, CEO, Herveda Botanicals Knowledge Partner: Daayitwa
3:00PM- 3:15PM	Tea Break
3:15PM- 4:45PM	Session 3: Mayors’ Roundtable - Local Governance for Inclusive Economic Development Chair: Mr. Madhu Kumar Marasini, Secretary, National Planning Commission Presentation: Mr. Bishnu Adhikari, Governance Director, The Asia Foundation Panelists: Ms. Bimala Aryal, Mayor, Sunwal Municipality Ms. Bimala Rai, Mayor, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, Khotang Mr. Sudeep Paudel, Mayor, Kapilvastu Municipality, Kapilvastu Mr. Mani Kumar Syangbo, Chairperson, Rong Rural Municipality Mr. Ran Bahadur Rai, Mayor, Suryodaya Municipality Moderator: Ms. Sama Thapa, Associate Editor, AP1 Television Knowledge Partner: Kathmandu University School of Law
4:45PM-5:30PM	Closing Session
	Closing Remarks Ms. Darshana Shrestha, First Vice President, Federation of Women Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN) Mr. Kalanidhi Devkota, Executive Director, Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN) Dr. Kiran Rupakhetee, Joint Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM)

Day 2 Agenda

8:30AM-9:00AM	Registration and Tea/Coffee
9:00AM- 10:00AM	Opening Session
	Welcome Remarks Mr. Susit Dhakal, Executive Director, Daayitwa Mr. Trilochan Pokharel, Senior Director of Studies, NASC
	Keynote Speaker Ms. Laxmi Devi Pandey, President, National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN)
	Special Remarks Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Finance
10:00AM- 11:30AM	Session 4: Women's Political Participation in Local Election: Insights into Women’s Networks, Coalitions, and Gender Biases Chair: Hon. Dr. Janaki K Tuladhar, Election Commissioner Presentation: Pratigya Neupane, Program Coordinator, NARMIN and Dr. Prabin B. Khadka, Inclusion Economics Nepal at Governance Lab (IEN) Panelists: Dr. Binda Pandey, Former Member of House of Representatives, Communist Party of Nepal- United Marxist Leninist Ms. Mahalaxmi Dina Upadhyay, Joint General Secretary, Nepali Congress Hon. Rekha Sharma, Standing Committee Member, CPN (Maoist Centre) and Member of Parliament Ms. Rita Thapa, Anupam Abhiyaan, Tewa Moderator: Dr. Prabin B. Khadka, Assistant Professor, University of Essex Knowledge Partner: IEN
11:30AM- 12:45PM	Session 5: Digital Governance for Enhanced Service Delivery Chair: Ms. Radhika Aryal, Secretary, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Presentation: Mr. Saroj Bista, Director of Governance and Impact, Young Innovations Panelists Mr. Asgar Ali, IT Adviser to the Hon. Prime Minister Ms. Bimala Rai, Mayor, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, Khotang Mr. Dipesh Bista, CEO, e-Governance Commission, Government of Nepal Mr. Rudra Singh Tamang, Provincial and Local Governance Support Program, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration Moderator: Ms. Shrinkhala Khatiwada, CEO, Gaatha Knowledge Partner: Young Innovations
12:45PM- 1:30PM	LUNCH
1:30PM- 3:00PM	Session 6: Keynote Panel - The Road to Subnational Governance for Inclusive Economic Development Chair: Hon. Prof. Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari, Vice Chairperson, National Planning Commission Presentation: Dr. Khim Lal Devkota, Chairperson, Federalism and Localization Center Panelists: Dr. Dilli Raj Aryal, Vice Chairperson, Province Policy and Planning Commission, Lumbini Province Mr. Kedar Nath Sharma, Principal Secretary, Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Koshi Province Dr. Raghu Raj Kafle, Former Vice-Chairperson, Province Policy and Planning Commission, Gandaki Province Dr. Sohan Prasad Sha, Vice Chairperson, Province Policy and Planning Commission, Madhesh Province Dr. Usha Jha, Former Member, National Planning Commission Moderator: Dr. Pukar Malla, Chairperson, Governance Lab at Daayitwa Abhiyaan Knowledge Partner: Federalism and Localization Center
3:00PM- 3:15PM	Tea Break
3:15PM- 4:30PM	Closing Ceremony
	Closing Remarks Mr. Krishna Gyawali, Senior Governance Advisor, Daayitwa Mr. Bishnu Prasad Lamsal, Deputy Executive Director, NASC
	Special Remarks Mr. Raj Kumar Shrestha, Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
	Vote of Thanks Dr. Nisha Onta, Founder and Executive Director, Governance Lab
4:30PM-5:30PM	High Tea and Networking

NB: Names of the session panelists have been listed in alpha order.

About Organizers

Daayitwa Abhiyaan (DA) is a movement that fosters inclusive and equitable economic growth by accelerating grassroots innovations, strengthening government institutions, and revitalizing a virtuous cycle of democracy and development through grassroots government collaboration. DA consists of four organizations: Daayitwa, Governance Lab (Govlab), Nepal Leadership Academy (NLA), and Nepal Rising (Daayitwa-US) based in the U.S. which brings together experienced researchers, policymakers, and other partners for sustainable development of Nepal. Daayitwa, with a focus on economic empowerment, envisions an enterprising Nepal where every youth has opportunities for a prosperous future. Govlab is a Nepal-based think-and-do tank that enables the government to make evidence-based policy decisions by conducting policy research, strengthening policy implementation capacity and fortifying research and governance ecosystems. NLA is a signature component of the DA that builds leadership capacity in change agents who are guided by the shared values of collaborating, innovating, and serving and the shared principles of community, justice, and sustainability to architect effective policy, business, and civic solutions that tackle the most grueling adaptive challenges. Nepal Rising administered by DA engages and empowers the Nepali diaspora in the US as change agents and strengthens local and global collaboration to promote socio-economic development in Nepal.

The Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC), a national-level institution engaged in capacity building of the public sector in Nepal, was established in 1982 and is governed by the NASC Act, 1982. The institution provides necessary training to the employees of the Government of Nepal (GoN) and public enterprises. Aimed at enhancing the capability of administration of the Nepal government and management of public enterprises, the institution designs and executes training programs that contribute towards the overall development of the country. Besides, NASC is also heavily invested in undertaking problem-oriented research, consulting, and informative service programs for preparing training materials to make training more successful. NASC also provides a range of short and long courses as per the need of government agencies and public enterprises. The areas under training range from Basic Administration Training designed to the newly appointed gazetted Class I officers to the Senior Executive development program for Joint Secretaries of GoN. It has been continuously revising and implementing the Advanced Course on Management and Development for gazetted Class II officers; and The professional Course on Management and Development for gazette Class III officers of GoN and public organizations with innovative learning modules. With a history of over forty years, NASC continues to contribute to strengthening the capacity of public administration and adopting innovative tools to share knowledge among institutions.