Ethics in utilising public purse

Nepal’s legal and institutional frameworks can yield expected results only with ethical approaches.

Oriental philosopher and statesman Chanakya is well-known for his ethical disposition while utilising public funds. In a famous allegory, he used two lamps while working–one for public work and another for personal. The lamp that used public fuel was never used for personal work. Public coffers, the prime source of government funding, carry people's expectations towards a nation’s prosperity and happiness. An ethical approach to public coffers demands utilising the funds with the right intention while strictly adhering to legal provisions. Deviation from this opens the way for misappropriation, misutilisation and underutilisation of public funds, hampering noble development initiatives. So, the ethical aspect of public funds should be a prime concern for all governance stakeholders and the government.