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The government of Madhes province has not implemented a single provincial pride project in six years. Instead, it has focused on smaller programs with budgets no more than Rs 1m, but their progress too have been slow and laborious. Many of these projects have had their budgets frozen. The capital spending has never been satisfactory. The provincial government and ministers often make commitments to implement provincial pride projects but the reality is completely different. Their focus is mostly on small projects proposed by their cadres.

The provincial government has proposed a budget of Rs 44.11bn for the fiscal year 2023/24. However, the focus has primarily been on implementing piecemeal programs even though the provincial government has no dearth of resources. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development has the highest budgetary allocation of over Rs 12bn. However, minister Krishna Prasad Yadav’s focus seems to be on implementing small projects proposed by party cadres rather than larger projects that could benefit the whole province. For instance, Hansapur Municipality in Dhanusha has been provided with 25 projects ranging from Rs 1.5m to Rs 2.5m. Pradeep Yadav, who serves as the treasurer of the Madhes Provincial Committee of Nepali Congress, is the mayor of Hansapur. In contrast, neighboring Dhanauji and Aurahi rural municipalities lack programs of even Rs 2m.

Dipendra Thakur, deputy leader of the CPN-UML parliamentary party in the Madhes Province Assembly, criticized ministers for pouring budgets into their constituencies while neglecting pressing needs elsewhere. The Dalit Development Committee, responsible for uplifting the Dalit community, which comprises 18 percent of the province’s population, has been allocated a meager budget of Rs 6.9m.

Ministers have also been accused of overspending in their areas through budget transfers. Minister for Finance Sanjaya Kumar Yadav and Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Tourism Sunita Yadav have been summoned by provincial assembly committees for transferring over Rs 600m in the last month of the previous fiscal year.

Dr Bhogendra Jha, former vice-chairman of the Madhes Province Planning Commission, said that the capital budget is being distributed without considering the priorities of the local people. Similarly, CPN (Maoist Center) assembly member Mala Kumari Karna criticized the chief minister and ministers for implementing budgetary programs only in their constituencies.

Maoist Center leader Bharat Prasad Sah also emphasized the need for the provincial government to focus on provincial pride projects instead of distribution-oriented plans. “The province hasn't implemented a single significant program over the past six years. I served as a minister in the government led by Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP). I, however, couldn’t implement development-oriented programs due to inadequate support,” he added.

Satish Kumar Singh of Janamat Party said party cadres are favored while selecting development programs. “Only those close to the ministers are benefiting from budgetary programs. We had the opportunity to make federalism work, but the government’s actions are making a mockery of it,” he added.

Chief Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav issued a 19-point directive on Jan 22, pledging to uphold financial transparency and good governance. However, the first budget of Chief Minister Yadav has faced criticism for focusing on distributing piecemeal programs to appease cadres rather than prioritizing substantial projects.

According to Minister for Home, Communication, and Law, Mohammad Shamim, projects such as the Ram Janaki Stadium, one electoral constituency-one road, provincial roads, and universities are considered provincial pride projects. However, he acknowledged that these projects are not gaining momentum. “Service delivery of provincial governments have been affected due to obstacles created by the federal government,” he added.

Despite the many political transformations Nepal has recently witnessed, the lives of the Musahars, a Dalit community from the Tarai, have barely changed.

Musahars have been living in 24 districts of Nepal for generations and work mainly as manual laborers. They are deprived of education, healthcare and jobs, as well as government services and facilities.

Among the 22 castes Nepal lists as Dalits, five are from the hills while the remaining 17 are from the plains. The government spends millions of rupees every year in the name of improving the Dalit communities’ living standards. But many Dalits have not benefitted.

Musahars are treated as untouchables and insulted. Many allege that international NGOs such as UK Aid, Department for International Development (DFID) and Street Child have not been transparent in their financial transactions and suspect irregularities.

Nepal National Musahar Association (NNMA) says that due to irregularities, the centers established for the purpose of improving the lives of Musahars have been unable to function properly. DFID has been running a project called ‘Break the Bond’ at the centers in partnership with various local
organizations.

Even though the centers have been giving training on literacy, life skills, income generation and women’s awareness, a local Musahar leader Pacchu Majhi claims that they have been ineffective. “INGOs have been cheating us. They call us for a day, offer us food, and then ask us to sign an attendance sheet for the whole month. But they do not care about improving our lives or about educating us. NGOs are getting fatter while we get poorer,” he laments.

At an NNMA press conference in Janakpur on June 23, General Secretary Ram Sworup Sada accused the dozens of Musahar centers across several districts of being an easy source of money for their officials. Currently, there are 17 Musahar centers in Mahottari, 24 in Dhanusa and 21 in Siraha. “There is hardly any Musahar participation at such centers,” alleged Sada.

NNMA has issued a press release demanding that 60 percent of the employees of the Musahar centers be Musahars, that the age group eligible for enrollment at the centers be changed, and that the budget and activities of the centers be made public.

Other demands include making Musahars in-charge of monitoring the centers, and giving Musahar girls
Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 for running a business. The release warned that failure to meet the demands would lead to street protests and a boycott of the center’s activities.