Public policy is an essential policy in the statecraft related to prudent, judicious and timely management of public and international affairs. It is the appropriate policy required under the division of functions of the government that are based on the portfolio of the ministry. It includes foreign and security or strategic policy too. Furthermore, it is a needed guideline to transform public affairs into the overall public interest and concern towards a logical trend and contemporary context. The objective to promote a political community or system is considered in public policy. It ensures the maintenance of proper regulation, control and balance of public affairs. It determines clear thinking, conduct and activities to achieve common objectives, goals and mission without hassles in running public governance and administration. Public policy purports to be good, productive, and beneficial public management. It is expressed as a subjective document comprising an inter-objective tool in the concerned field of work. The document of public policy contains lessons from the past, current needs and future national, provincial and local demanding prospects.
Under public policy, the directive principles and policies of the state mentioned in the Constitution of Nepal are its main ingredients. Therefore, based on the constitution, it can be expected public policy becomes easier to formulate into an expanded or advanced explanatory edict. In the footsteps of such provisions, the policy is also transmuted in the form of laws of particular public or national sectors. So that the problems emerging or festering in public affairs can be addressed, resolved and improved. Public policy has been discussed and debated till now to forge consensus on public goods and services. Therefore, the context of public policy and relevant discussions are much more needed now than ever in democracy. There is no solid basis for the rejection and criticism of such a document is a ground reality in current discursive democracy. It seems as if the current policy is complete and immutable. A wide perception of the Government of Nepal is about its neglect and weak implementation neither even strict execution nor enforcement.
The government of the day is facing policy problems regularly due to the new governance and administrative challenges. It is accentuated in the existing situation wherein no structural or organizational unit has been competent to respond to the emanating public problems. On the other hand, the appropriate diagnosis, remedy and solution have not been identified precisely and holistically. In a vivid recent example, when the service provider is the regulator of the same sector, impartiality, autonomy and fairness are compromised breaching the standard code of conduct. Moreover, a hotly debated regulation of private sector investment and profit that supplants lucrative public sectors had come to surface sporadically. Unaccountable, opaque and corrupt public bodies and venial officials create scandals in governance integrity, morality and ethics.
There is certain ignorance in the implementation of the full mandate of public policy. Albeit the ad hoc and discretionary decisions, an immediate resolution cannot deliver durable effectiveness of public policy. Only the temporary and permanent government (elected executive and administrative apparatus) has to pursue positive progress enabling policy consent in governance. But in administrative dynamics, hurdles have to be faced. A sound, strong and reliable working relationship of leadership and public policy practitioners fosters good governance and sustainable development. It consolidates a stable political system with sovereignty vested in the people down to the grassroots level. In a state of suspicion, speculation and mistrust, the sense of discontentment, unrest and pessimism in the political, civil and national society hardly realize pronounced prosperity soon. While the wait-and-see policy ends, political and administrative imbalances, instability and distrust perpetuate symptoms of gloom among citizens, voters and the people.
Leadership must not ignore public policy management in this sense slowly nipping in the bud such despondency. Human rights, human development and human security are included in public policy with overt or covert priority. It emphasizes all-round progress and sustainability in a particular domain. Public policy tries to solve outstanding problems and new challenges too. The nature of public policy to innovate without implementing it is inescapable conduct amid the height of political indiscipline and administrative weaknesses. Additionally, in this matter, it is necessary to stay in officialdom in such a climate of operations to end such activities and practices of amending the entire policy area. Equally, it is a wrong method to formulate public policy through newspaper sources and therein information alone. The facts and data obtained including the everyday problems faced in the government, governance and administration concomitant with the new or challenges in service delivery are of particular importance. It is, therefore, a disguise to determine the public policy based on the contents covered in the media and communication sector instead of a clear assessment of the rationale and standards of public services and goods delivered by the service provided and service seeker.
Political and administrative will is indispensable for the proper achievement of objective and subjective measurement, coordination, maturity and reliability in the formulation, analysis and implementation of public policy. Disappointment, dissatisfaction and bad temperament can be solved if positive politics and good policies are adopted well. Adopting the right thinking and working style for change management while embracing the change will lead to a strong belief that there will be subtle and quick benefits immediately. The current change is unimaginable and impractical in comparison to the Cold War heydays when free and open society was in danger. In the twenty-first century, access to modern tools or equipment, technology and global dynamics in new political and administrative frameworks, public policy brainstorming has been in progress to deliver adequate and requisite local and national public goods and public services including critical infrastructure building activities.
Social competition, people-oriented government, human rights-friendly advocacy, personal freedom and liberal democracy are being practiced in harmony with the current trajectory of history. The journey of the process of modern political history as it becomes the inherent nature of the people, society and nation vested with responsibility and accountability to its continuous defense. Despite the upheavals in history, there is no choice but to join the trend, development and endeavors of progress and advancement with the desires or aspirations. The ups and downs of the past, the struggle in the present and the natural direction to achieve the best future are eternal spirit and will.
A person or leadership may fail or digress. But (s)he encounters amor fati, the maker of h(is)(er) destiny. The untiring effort is the secret of those who reach the pinnacle of political success. Fourteen years ago in Law School, I raised the question of what to do if personified states or state personified fail to deliver public policy. Onwards meditating on resolve, principle and positive energy, I expect the leadership to revive the life of the state taking a resolution now in the next few minutes. The government affairs and administrative activities of the state are filled with the pledge, commitment and strict workout details of the state so that human conditions are improved. Thus, the implementation of public policy takes the right direction and its components level up human capital, and social capital and consolidate the legitimacy of the democratic state and government. This is my concept of effective public policy to realize quickly and choose wisely viable options of good governance on short notice.
