By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 24: It has been a little longer than five years today that the government of Nepal formed seven provinces on September 20, 2015, transforming Nepal into a federal country; and with federalism came hopes that the quality facilities which were limited to the Valley would reach closer to people across the country.
Among many facilities which the citizens sought were quality education, health, administration and employment. However, the people still struggle to acquire those facilities properly within the respective provinces.
Patients are being significantly referred to the tertiary hospitals in the Valley due to lack of infrastructure and manpower, and thousands of students are entering the Capital in search of quality education. The number of people arriving here for administrative purposes and employment opportunities is equally high.
Since the essential facilities are only available in the Valley, people are bound to come here from all corners of the country. With more and more people entering the Valley, there has been an increasing problem in receiving those facilities.
When The Rising Nepal daily enquired some youths hailing from outside the Valley and residing in the capital for different purposes, they revealed that it was the quality education and opportunities which are accessible only here.
"I finished my intermediate level in my hometown but when I started searching for colleges to pursue Bachelor level, I couldn’t find any to rely on following their pass percentage and the quality of teaching they could provide in comparison to the colleges in the Valley.
With no choice left, I came here," said Bipin Guragain, a student from Morang who completed his B.Sc. CSIT nearly two years ago.
Guragain also has a great experience in graphic designing but he argued that it was difficult to find a job in the Valley despite having qualifications in two separate sectors.
"I came to the Valley because it has far more opportunities than what can be accessible in our whole province but it is a problem for thousands like me.
We can’t even afford our own start-up in our hometown to use our qualification and it is a real trouble finding opportunities in the Valley itself," said Guragain.
For many Nepalis, the search for opportunities has been to either enter the Valley or to fly abroad and the only solution they see for now is to form plans and policies to begin expanding facilities and opportunities to at least province levels.
"The Valley provides opportunities and space far more than any other parts of the country but the whole country, including the Valley, lacks new developments and upgrades that the cities abroad provide.
We are still lagging but we can at least expand our recent capacities in the Valley to the provincial levels, and gradually upgrade on them," said Ayush Bhandari, a civil engineer who will soon be flying to the United States to pursue his Masters.
Bhandari, a resident of Jhapa, had lived in the Valley since his intermediate level, and has already worked for international non-government organisations in his field.
"When you hope for development, it means you must generate quality manpower and provide them with basic necessities and stage to hone their talents. It is not possible until the facilities and opportunities within the Valley reach the people across the country," Bhandari added.