The government is set to allocate Rs 210 million to each lawmaker under what it calls ‘Balanced Infrastructure Development Program.’ This scheme will add a whopping Rs 34 billion to an already strained national budget, even as revenue collection continues to fall behind the target. The new move by the government has contradicted an earlier verdict from the Supreme Court that had suspended such distribution of public funds to lawmakers in the name of carrying out development projects in their respective constituencies. By showing its intent to provide a whopping sum to each of 165 lawmakers elected through the first-past-the-post method, the government has indeed undermined constitutional principles and fiscal discipline. Despite the new name being given to the program and the new modus operandi being rolled out for administering the funds, the essence of the program remains the same: lawmakers are being given access to public funds for development work in their constituencies. For many, the effort is not meant for undertaking any balanced development endeavor but is just a way to secure political loyalty and votes from voters. The fund is essentially pork barrel politics, as lawmakers will now have a budget that they will utilize to boost their public and political image in the run-up to the next election, creating an unfair playing field against political rivals, particularly the new ones. Such an act – using public funds to set things right for people’s representatives – would deepen people’s mistrust of government and of lawmakers.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had suspended a similar program, stating that it violated the constitutionally guaranteed principle of separation of powers. Since lawmakers are elected mainly to draft the laws, they are not meant to steer development projects, build roads, or install drinking water taps. The executive branch is there for undertaking such tasks, and this branch works with multiple levels. We have the federal government, the provincial government and the local levels to plan and execute development works, based on the needs of the people as well as national priorities. Let's face it: the lawmakers are neither required nor supposed to act like so-called development agents. Giving Members of Parliament huge cushion funds to propose and implement projects overlaps roles and creates space for conflicts of interest, which is not allowed by our constitution. Previously, when lawmakers received funds for the constituency development, widespread corruption was reported. Consumer committees became a tool to channelize money rather than a means to deliver public service. Projects were often poorly executed, budgets were inflated, and commissions were the order of the day. Repeating this model under a different title does not solve inherent problems but creates room for misappropriation of public funds.
Garlic butter baked pork chops
Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel is said to be coordinating with senior political leaders to push this project through. If experience is any clue, the outcome of such an arbitrary move will result in more imbalance and corruption that will lead the public to deeper frustration. No doubt that people in the nation want better infrastructure, but people and the nation’s needs should be assessed by planning bodies, not by politicians aiming for re-election through any means. Development funds must be spent where they are most needed, not where a lawmaker thinks it will yield the most votes for him/her. Finally, the government would do well to pause the allocation of funds to lawmakers and reconsider other methods to carry out development works. Since its latest plan violates the constitution and betrays the idea and promise of transparent and equitable governance, the government should give up the idea of fishing out funds for lawmakers.
