Biratnagar, Jan 7: Chief Minister of State-1, Sherdhan Rai, has said timely promulgation of laws was imperative to deepen federalism. At an interaction organized by Nepal Administrative Staff College on inter-state relations here Monday, CM Rai viewed a well-functioning State means effective federalism.    
    
On the occasion, State Assembly Speaker Pradeep Kumar Bhandari warned that if the State affairs was run in a centralized manner, it would invite problems.    
    
Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Hikmat Kumar Karki, reminded federalism is the essence of constitution. So, capacity enhancement of local levels is essential to strengthen democracy, he stressed.    
    
Deputy Speaker Saraswati Pokhrel said if the federal government only works as guardian role, the federal system would not see any challenges. Changes of hierarchy time and again has posed problems, she added.    
    
Chief Secretary of the State-1 government, Suresh Adhikari, shared the plight that the State-1 government was still in short of 1400 employees, which had direct bearing on public service delivery.    
    
Other speakers at the programme stressed on ending centralized rule and decision for the effective functioning of federalism. They further said the State government was not able to intensify its activities as per changed set up also because of the failure of federal government to introduce Police Act, Public Service Act, and Education Act.    
    
Constitution expert Dr Bipin Adhikari presented a working paper on 'inter-state relations in federalism: problems and solutions.'