The Tail Wagging The Dog
Summary
Nepal’s state machinery is criticized for misplaced priorities, high taxation, and poor regulation, while public demands for free health and education remain unmet. The piece argues that government-run enterprises and private market practices have burdened consumers and weakened accountability.
Key Points
- Nepal’s governance has failed to improve public service delivery, leaving citizens with minimal expectations from the state.
- The article argues that the state should regulate and facilitate, not operate as a trader through loss-making enterprises and festival-driven price controls.
- Nepal Telecom and Nepal Oil Corporation are criticized for imposing multiple layers of tax and passing costs on consumers.
- Private airlines and other sectors are cited as examples of market abuses that the government has not effectively checked.
