Prime Minister Balendra Shah on 29th March 2026 briefed the bureaucrats (कर्मचारी), including the Ministry secretaries to catch-up with the spirit of the government. The Prime Minister apparently asked to stop lecturing Ministers and to stop making excuses citing legal barriers.
In essence, the Prime Minister instructed the bureaucracy to play their role. This is a directive to deliver on the political promises made by him and his party before the election.
The Prime Minister's directive should not come as a surprise or something new. Here is why.
In a well-functioning government, there are two mutually exclusive roles - governance and management.
The Prime Minister and the Ministers have the governance function. Bureaucrats are responsible for the management function.
Both roles must run parallel but separately for the system to function harmoniously. If they overlap, it will short-circuit the system.
The fundamental function of those in the governance role is to come up with a vision. For example, in this government's case, the Prime Minister’s vision, ‘I want to see Nepal smile’. The role of those in management is to figure out how to translate that aspiration into reality. For example, to decode what ‘I want to see Nepal smile’ means; what does it look like when Nepal is smiling; what actions should be taken and when to make Nepal smile, etc.
The elected politicians, i.e. the Members of the Parliament, are the representatives of the people. The government is the administration mandated through the Parliament. As the leader of the administration, the Prime Minister comes up with a vision. That vision is a reflection of the people’s aspirations. The Prime Minister is accountable towards the people to deliver on that vision.
When bureaucracy works towards implementing the Prime Minister’s vision, they do not necessarily only just serve him in isolation. Instead, they take responsibility for being public servants. They implement the people’s aspirations that are reflected in the Prime Minister’s vision.
In his briefing, the Prime Minister merely asked that the bureaucracy be responsible i.e. to do what the bureaucracy and the state apparatus are supposed to do.
The Prime Minister's instruction is spot on. Bureaucracy should by default be doing what the Prime Minister asked them, without even having to remind. Bureaucrats are public servants. The public servants serve the people by serving the Prime Minister and the government under him.
The Rastriya Swatantra Party signed a contract and made a promise through the 100 point election manifesto with the voters. Following the resounding majority given to the Rastriya Swatantra Party by the voters the government is now accountable towards honouring the election promises.
As the leader of the government, the ultimate accountability is vested on the Prime Minister. The buck stops with him. That accountability is only possible from a responsible bureaucracy.
The bureaucrats must do what the Prime Minister has asked from them. No ifs. No buts.
(Based on my experience and observation of governance and management in New Zealand, and that in other well-functioning democracies)
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