KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress central member and House of Representatives MP Narayan Prakash Saud has stressed the need for constitutional amendments to reduce the size of federal and provincial governments, saying the current structure is financially unsustainable and burdensome to the public.
Speaking at a recent event, the former minister said the country’s existing political framework—with 761 governments at the local, provincial, and federal levels—has led to excessive spending on governance.
“The number of ministries, ministers, and parliamentarians is too high. It must be reduced to make the government small, streamlined, and economical,” Saud said.
He proposed reducing the number of federal ministers, currently capped at 25, and provincial ministers, who collectively exceed 115 across the seven provinces. Saud also called for a downsizing of the federal and provincial assemblies to cut election-related expenses and operational costs.
Saud expressed concern that citizens’ tax revenues are primarily used to sustain government machinery rather than delivering services or development.
“There are over 800 MPs and around 100 ministers. Financial allowances to thousands of elected local officials are weighing heavily on the economy,” he said.
The lawmaker emphasized the need for annual constitutional reviews to identify and address implementation gaps. He argued that federalism must be made more efficient, with greater delegation of authority to provinces and better service delivery mechanisms at all levels.
Saud also criticized the lack of timely law-making and weak implementation of parliamentary discussions.
“People’s concerns raised in parliament are not taken seriously. There is a gap between what is said and what is done,” he said.
Calling for a more accountable and responsive government, he advocated for digital services, faster public service delivery, and legal reforms that undergo broader public and political scrutiny. Saud warned against hurriedly passed laws, which could lead to miscarriages of justice.
Commenting on youth migration, Saud said the government should ensure that citizens going abroad for work are equipped with proper training and legal safeguards.
“The youth lack trust in the current system. Many leave the country without skills and are exploited abroad. That must change,” he said.
While supporting constitutional freedom of expression, Saud underscored that any ideology—be it democratic, monarchist, or otherwise—must operate within the constitutional framework.
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