Governance means the way power is used to manage a country’s affairs, resources and public services. Good governance is governance that is fair, open, lawful and focused on the needs of citizens. In Nepal, good governance is not only an idea but also a legal duty of public offices under the Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act 2064. This note explains the concept, its features, the Act, the main tools and the challenges Nepal faces.
1. Meaning of good governance
Good governance is the process of making and carrying out public decisions in a way that is accountable, transparent, lawful, participatory and efficient. It asks not only “what” the government decides but also “how” it decides.
Simply put, under good governance:
- citizens get services easily, on time and at a fair cost;
- officials follow the law and can be questioned about their work;
- people can take part in decisions that affect them;
- public money is used honestly and wisely.
The idea became popular in the 1990s through international bodies such as the World Bank and United Nations agencies, which linked it with development and the control of corruption.
2. Key features of good governance
Eight features are widely accepted as the core of good governance:
| Feature | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Accountability | Officials must answer for their decisions and actions to the people, to higher authorities and to the law |
| Transparency | Decisions and information are open; people can see how and why things are done |
| Rule of law | Everyone, including officials, is equal before the law; laws are fair and enforced without bias |
| Participation | Citizens, including women and marginalised groups, can take part in decision-making |
| Responsiveness | Institutions serve people within a reasonable time and react to their needs |
| Effectiveness and efficiency | Results meet people’s needs while making the best use of resources |
| Equity and inclusiveness | All groups have a chance to improve or keep their well-being; no one is left out |
| Consensus orientation | Different interests are brought together to reach a broad agreement on what is best for society |
A short way to remember the idea: good governance is people-centred, open and answerable government.
3. The Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act 2064
Nepal made this Act in 2064 BS (2008 AD) to give a legal basis for good governance in public administration. Rules to carry it out were made in 2065 BS.
Purpose
The main purpose of the Act is to make public administration pro-people, accountable, transparent, inclusive and participatory, to use public resources well, and to make good governance a right of the citizens that the state must deliver. In short, it turns the features above into duties of government offices.
Main provisions (stated generally)
- Basis of administration: officials must act on the basis of the rule of law, transparency, objectivity, accountability, integrity, economic discipline, clean administration, neutrality and public participation.
- Clear roles: the Act describes the duties of the Chief Secretary, Secretaries of ministries, heads of departments and office chiefs, so that each knows what he or she is responsible for.
- Time limit for decisions: an official must decide a matter within the time set by law; delay without reason is not allowed.
- Reasons for decisions: decisions must be made by following the proper procedure, and the grounds and reasons must be stated.
- Conflict of interest: an official must not take part in a decision in which he or she, or a close relative, has a personal interest.
- Code of conduct: public employees must follow the code of conduct of their service.
- Citizen charter: every office that provides services must display a citizen charter.
- Mobile service: services may be taken to people in remote areas through mobile service camps.
- Public hearing: offices must hold public hearings so that their work stays clean, transparent and objective.
- Grievance management: each office must manage complaints, including through a complaint box.
4. Tools of good governance
Citizen charter
A citizen charter (nagarik badapatra) is a notice board placed at a visible spot of an office. It tells the public:
- what services the office gives;
- which documents and procedure are needed;
- how long the service takes;
- how much fee is charged;
- which officer is responsible, and where to complain.
If an office does not give a service as stated in the charter, the responsible official can face departmental action, and the Act allows for compensation to a person who suffers loss because of it.
Public hearing
A public hearing (sarbajanik sunuwai) is a meeting where an office explains its work, budget and services to the public, and people raise questions and complaints face to face. It brings officials and service users together and builds transparency and accountability. Stakeholders such as local representatives, civil society and experts are invited.
Social audit
A social audit is a review of a programme or project carried out with the participation of the users and the community. People check whether the work was done as planned, whether the money was used properly and whether the benefits reached the right people. It is different from a financial audit, which checks accounts against rules.
Grievance management
Every office must have a system to receive and settle complaints. This includes a complaint box (gunaso peti) placed where the public can use it. The box is opened regularly by an assigned official, suitable action is taken, and information about the action is made public. Complaints can also be made by phone or online.
E-governance
E-governance means using information and communication technology to deliver services, such as online applications, online payments and digital records. It reduces visits to offices, saves time, cuts the chances of bribery and makes records easier to check.
| Tool | Main value it supports |
|---|---|
| Citizen charter | Transparency and responsiveness |
| Public hearing | Accountability and participation |
| Social audit | Accountability and participation |
| Grievance management | Responsiveness |
| E-governance | Efficiency and transparency |
5. Challenges of good governance in Nepal
Nepal has good laws on governance, but putting them into practice is difficult. The main challenges, stated generally, are:
- Corruption and misuse of public resources;
- Political instability and frequent changes in leadership, which weaken continuity of policy;
- Weak implementation of laws, plans and court orders;
- Delay and red tape in service delivery;
- Weak accountability, with little action against poor performance;
- Political interference in administration and frequent transfers of officials;
- Low participation of poor and marginalised people in decisions;
- Limited awareness of citizens about their rights;
- Gaps in capacity and technology, especially in remote areas.
Overcoming these requires strong political will, honest leadership, active citizens and a free press.
📌 Key points to remember
- Good governance means accountable, transparent, lawful, participatory and efficient use of public power.
- Its eight core features include accountability, transparency, rule of law, participation, responsiveness, efficiency, equity and consensus orientation.
- The Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act was made in 2064 BS, with Rules in 2065 BS.
- The Act aims at pro-people, accountable, transparent and participatory administration.
- Officials must decide on time, give reasons and avoid conflict of interest.
- The Act makes the citizen charter, public hearing and grievance management (complaint box) duties of public offices.
- A citizen charter shows the service, procedure, time, fee and responsible officer.
- A public hearing brings officials and the public face to face.
- A social audit is a review done with the participation of users and the community.
- E-governance uses ICT to make services faster and cleaner.
- Main challenges: corruption, instability, weak implementation and political interference.
Test yourself: Good Governance
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