Corruption in Nepal: Reasons, Situation, Impact, and Solution
Corruption in Nepal is growing like skyrocketing. It has hit the country like a huge flood in the rainy season in river. It has an impact on society and democracy. Corruption has been an issue since the start of Nepalese history. The country has been involved in corruption scandals, and these scandals have gone from bad to worse. The government, parliament, judicial institutions have been hurt by this fierce storm. None of these institutions have been able to stop this. Due to the lack of transparency and accountability, Nepal is ranked 117th out of 180 countries and territories in the latest Corruption Perception Index 2021.
What is corruption?
It is the misuse of public power for personal or family gain. Corrupt practices can range from bribery, nepotism, embezzlement, and extortion to the misappropriation of state assets and the obstruction of justice. Corruption adversely affects people’s lives, their safety, their rights, and their access to public services. At present, corruption has become a major challenge for the underdeveloped and developing countries of the world. And Nepal has also been badly affected by this problem.Transparency International conducts research on corruption around the world. The number is given to any country on the basis of various formulas. This year, Nepal has been listed in the 117th rank which is the same as last year.This rank shows the condition of corruption in Nepal.
Reason
The causes of corruption can be many. But these are some of the major causes of bribery and corruption in Nepal.
- Weak legal system
- To be political instability
- Lack of transparency in government work
- Expensive market
- Powerful network of corrupt people in government and its body
- Lack of awareness among the people
Situation and Impact
According to Amnesty International’s report, there are more corrupt states than Nepal. But if you have to stay in Nepal and work in a government office or look at other government work, it doesn’t seem like that. Some limited work has been done well and some employees do not seem to be involved in bribery and corruption. This means you have to guess about the situation here yourself.
If you are a service recipient in a government office, you will know how corruption is done in Nepal. You will need to be prepared to pay a small or big amount, even directly or indirectly, for small tasks. If you do, your work will be immediate, otherwise, you will have to be prepared for more times (hours or days).
Every sector in Nepal has been badly affected by corruption. Government offices, security agencies, the education sector, health sector, courts, etc. have been affected by this. Here are some examples I have personally seen.
The matter is in the capital Kathmandu. One of my friend owns a computer and printer repair shop. An employee (Nepal Electricity Authority) comes to refill the toner of the printer. My friend does the work and charges 300 rupees. But the employee insists on making 800 bills. When a friend is reluctant, he simply says that this is a normal thing because the practice of making bills 5 to 10 times more is in our office.
Other similar government office workers come to my friends. He only wants to get the exterior of the old computer and printer. Why? ‘He says his boss is being transferred. He has taken the office computer to his home. Put it in the place of the previous computer’. These are just general examples. There are many bigger incidents than these.
Now let’s talk about people’s representatives. From the local to the central level, the number of corrupt leaders, ministers, MPs, etc. is innumerable. The lifestyle of the leader who used to live a normal life even before the election has changed. Hundreds of thousands of rupees worth of houses, cars, bank balances are all with them today. What is the source of their income? Answer: Everyone knows bribery and corruption. The situation is similar in other areas. Officials in the education, health, and security sectors also seem to be very corrupt. What is even more frightening is that the courts here have fallen into the trap of corruption in Nepal. But who will take action?
Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and its work
It has been set up to investigate allegations of misuse of public office. This is a constitutional body of Nepal. And has the right to investigate and prosecute corrupt individuals. But in the history of more than 30 years, this body has not been able to do a great job. Only a few high-ranking officials have been sued for corruption and action has been taken against them.
Most of the time, this body target only lower-level employees. MPs, ministers, or prime ministers may be the main cause of corruption but there is no investigation against them. The commissioners of this body seem to be the ones recommended by the government and the political parties. A few years ago, the video of the commissioner taking bribes was leaked. That is why the transparency of this body has been questioned.
Solution
These tips can be of some use for the prevention of corruption in Nepal.
- The law needs to be very strict so that anyone must afraid of corruption for fear of punishment.
- Transparency in government and non-government bodies needs to be strictly enforced.
- It is necessary to socially exclude the person who commits corruption.
- It is necessary to spread public awareness. Every citizen should be able to ask questions if they see an extraordinary change in the financial position of a person holding a public office.
My Opinion
Corruption is not a problem in itself. It is a crime committed by a public figure. It has left the country far behind. People are starting to look for alternatives to democracy in Nepal. So now look for a leader who can solve all these problems and you can say goodbye to corruption forever. So now look for a leader who can solve all these problems and you can say goodbye to corruption forever.
