Practice of good governance and corruption control along Nepal-India border administration

Abstract

Nepal has long made efforts in developing the country with all its social, economic policies and its enormous resources and huge potentialities. Corruption and poor governance of transition period are the main constraints against development. Bordering country India has certainly positive roles for Nepal and governments of both the sides have emphasized efforts at different levels. Borders are contradictory zones of cultures and power of bordering countries where monopoly of decentralization and homogenization are none (Wilson, 1998). Nepal is not just the nation in South Asia experiencing acts of terror and destruction by anti social elements, but India and many other nations have similar inconvenience. Nepal faces many challenges which need urgent action. Many of these are global in nature and there is very little that the national government can do about it. Crime, insecurity and violence not only impede economic growth, but also deteriorate the national development. The most prominent problem due to open and uncontrolled border with India is the unabated movement of anti-social elements and their activities across Nepal border line areas. The seemingly never ending series of crimes along the border have caused both the governments devote their resources. The unrestricted movement provides opportunities for criminal, anti-social and illegal activities like burglary, robbery, theft, murder, smuggling, pedaling narcotic drugs, trafficking girls, arms and ammunition and many more (Vidya, 2001). Basically Armed Police Force (APF) mandated for border security and anti insurgency has been deployed all over the country across the border.Due to the improvement in the security situation and the curbing of criminal activities including the smuggling and trans-border crimes remarkable hike in revenue collection has been noticed. The government of Nepal has additionally entrusted APF in the year 2012 with the security and safety of industrial sectors throughout the country. Nepal and India have mutual consent over to control such illegal activities along the border, and to address them effective and practical approaches are deemed. All the above quoted illegal activities are due to the practice of corruption in the ii government bureaucracy, ad hoc policies, feeble rules and slackness in monitoring and evaluation. Customs on both sides of the border cannot be ruled out involving in corrupt practices (Vidya, 2007). It is obviously clear that there are loopholes still to be subjugated. Only to blame the bureaucrats or senior officials would not suffice. Rather to change or reform the system in such a way would reduce chances of corruption and leakages. The issues of transparency, accountability and civic oversight in the bureaucracy have become more of an urgency given its high vulnerability to misuse of their authority (Bhattarai, n.d.). Normally parliamentary democracy guarantees the human and fundamental rights of the citizen. Though Nepal has got democratic system in 2006 it is facing a number of problems of poor governance. Nepal needs to address these problems with full humane understanding and greater community participation programs. This could be attained only through informed citizenry (Good Governance, 2012). The abstract of the thesis of Krishna Kumar Tamang forthe Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities (Public Administration) was presented in September, 2013.