Local Governments Demand Control Over Natural Resources Amidst Conservation Area Disputes

The main demand of federalism in Nepal is linked to the decentralization of rights and resources. Federalism was interpreted as a campaign to take Kathmandu's power to the villages. A slogan heard frequently during the first local level elections was - 'Singha Durbar in the villages'.

Taking Singha Durbar to the villages does not mean building a large building and having representatives and employees rule. It means implementing the power held in Kathmandu at the local or ward level. This requires administrative federalism, political federalism, and financial federalism to reach the lower levels simultaneously. While political and administrative federalism have reached the local level to some extent, financial federalism, which empowers citizens, is still stuck at the federal and provincial levels.