1. Public Policy Management in Nepal: Context and Issues
Jagadish C. Pokharel, Ph.D.
Nepal Administrative Staff College
May 2, 2019

2. We will discuss Public Policy Policy management
Policy making process
Policy implementation
Evaluation and reformulation
Policy management environment in Nepal
Issues of policy management

3. Public Policy
A purposive and consistent course of action produced as a response to a perceived problem of a constituency, formulated by a specific political process, and adopted, implemented, and enforced by a public agency
Policy is made to solve a problem
Has goal, intermediate steps for action
Public officials make the final decision and are accountable for its implementation

4. What is special about public policy?
Different types of Actors: Political actors, Officials and Experts
Social groups more or less fragmented.
Different types of stakes and interests.
Long term and short term
Affecting large parts of territory and population,
Multiple resource commitment such as knowledge, trust, money, land, authority, power etc. are committed in the process.

5. Policy Management Involves the following elements Policy making
Policy implementation
Policy implementation monitoring
Impact evaluation and
Reformulation

6. Ideal Public Policy Making Process in a Democracy
Program
Agenda
Implementation
Issues Picked up
Evaluation
Issues

7. Determinants of Public Policy Outcome
Policy Making Process
Key actors and their commitment
Ownership
Resources commitment
External environment
Political context
Economic context
Social Context

8. Policy Environment In Nepal Post 2047
Political Environment:
Liberal, multiple actors, plural interests, democratic
Interest groups play
Lobbying influencing/ constituency oriented
State, market and civil society collaboration
International influences– idea / resources/ interests
Stronger Private Sector and Civil Society

9. Policy Concerns Post B.S. 2047
Decentralized governance
Participatory development
Economic growth
Major development problem
Poverty reduction
Regional balance
Social security

10. Policy Environment Post 2063 Transition
Long political transition
Weak State
Weak Civil Society
Weak Private Sector
Weak local community
Strong International Partners

11. Actors In Public Policy Arena In Nepal (Post 2047 BS)
…….
State
Active
Regulator
Guide
protective
National
Policy Making Arena
Private Sector
Efficiency
Investment
At the top
Competitive
Outward looking
Cooperatives
At the base
Participatory
Social capital
Civil society

12. Basis for Informed Policy Making
National Census every 10 years
Surveys (periodic) Living Standard Surveys, Nepal Demographic Health Survey, Labor Force Survey, sectoral surveys, Nepal Rastra Bank data, and others
Evaluation reports
International agencies’ reports
Independent research institutions
Academic works

13. Public Policy Evaluation
Implementation
Effectiveness/ Efficiency,
Sustainability
Relevance
Values considered
Democracy
Inclusiveness
Participation of stakeholders
Consensus
Equity
Protection of diversity and pluralism

14. Learning Mechanism
Periodic evaluation of implementation and change – mid term, terminal
Lessons drawn and fed into policy arena
Feeding into policy related decision– change, revision, termination etc

15. External Influences in Policy Making
International Donors/ partners
Idea
Policy Design
Implementation
Monitoring
Resource
Expertise
Interest groups (esp. NGO)

16. Current Policy Context Constitution 2072
New State Structure
Three tiers of government
Federal
Provincial
Local
Main concerns
Inclusiveness
Equity and justice
proportional representation
Regional power and interests
Stronger State/ more interventionist
Civil Society and Private Sector Role Limited
International Partners’ influence

17. Public Policy Issues Ownership Accountability Analysis
Political representatives
Affected people
Real stakeholders
Accountability
Analysis
In adequate information
Availability/adequacy/ reliability/ comparability and correctness of data
Rigor of analysis/ conclusion/recommendation
Resources commitment
Implementation capacity

18. Public Policy Issues ….. Other Linkage between Learning and improving
Plan
Program/ projects
Activities
Resources
Learning and improving
Weak loop
Institution/ mandate/ Capacity
Other

19. Thank you for your Attention…
Thank you for your Attention