A national conference of deputy mayors and vice-chairpersons of local governments concluded with the issuance of a 20-point Biratnagar Declaration, calling for stronger empowerment of local levels.
Inaugurated by former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, the conference highlighted challenges in exercising legal rights due to unclear laws and federal interference. Key demands include clarifying judicial processes, increasing financial autonomy, and halting federal collection of local taxes like the institutional property tax.
The declaration also calls for amendments to the Local Government Operations Act, 2017 uniform judicial procedures, and higher equalization grants. Biratnagar Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Shilpa Nirala Karki emphasized that federal tax collection undermines local revenue rights.
The move seeks to reinforce federalism by strengthening local governance.
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