What’s inside Rastriya Swatantra Party’s election manifesto?

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has released its manifesto ahead of the March 5 House of Representatives elections, presenting a 100-point “Citizen Contract” aimed at transforming the country’s governance, economy, and social landscape.

The document, framed as a ‘citizen contract’, emphasises social justice, meritocracy, transparency, digital-first governance, and sustainable development.

Economic growth, middle-class expansion, and social protection

RSP sets ambitious targets: maintaining 7% annual growth, achieving a per-capita income above $3,000, and expanding the economy to $100 billion within five years. The party promises to promote private-sector-led investment, eliminate rent-seeking, simplify business registration, and strengthen financial regulation. 

The party pledges strict oversight on cooperatives, microfinance, and non-bank financial institutions, with protection for small depositors and development of pension funds, insurance, and mutual funds as institutional investors. On recovering deposits of savers whose funds are defrauded, the party plans to conditionally release cooperative and microfinance operators jailed or in pre-trial detention allowing them time to recoup money.

Capital markets, including NEPSE and derivatives markets, will be restructured for efficiency and transparency.

Social protection policies include 100% insured health services, integrated social security from birth to death, and reformed public education, with 1.2 million formal, inclusive, and secure jobs created over five years in IT, construction, tourism, agriculture, minerals, industry, and services. The party aims to curb the daily migration of over 3,300 Nepali youth abroad.

Strategic sectors and digital economy

The manifesto identifies IT, agriculture, and energy as national strategic sectors. The party aims to grow IT exports from $2.5 billion to $30 billion in 10 years, supported by an autonomous IT Promotion Board, digital parks, cloud and AI industries, and satellite-based internet infrastructure. 

Agriculture modernisation includes productivity improvements, fintech and agritech integration, and support for remote work and digital nomadism.

Energy sector reform promises include 50-year production permits, renewable energy expansion, transmission and distribution infrastructure, large energy-intensive industries, and increasing per-capita electricity consumption to 1,500 kWh by 2035. 

The party plans to engage in regional energy diplomacy and cross-border trade agreements with India and China.

Connectivity, infrastructure, and tourism

Infrastructure commitments include 30,000 km of highways, 15,000 megawatts of electricity, fast internet in all settlements, and completion of 10 signature national projects. Roads, air transport, and digital networks are prioritised for economic competitiveness. 

The party promises to develop railways under a 50-year master plan connecting major cities and neighbouring countries. Urban transit expansion includes electric buses, light rail/trams, and regulations to end public transport syndicates. 

The party’s tourism plans focus on digital permit systems, cultural and eco-tourism promotion, and urban green spaces.

Social justice and inclusion

Placing social equity at the forefront, the party pledges to end caste-based discrimination and remove structural barriers for marginalised communities, particularly the Dalit community. It has vowed to formally apologize to the Dalit community for historical injustices and to introduce focused initiatives for marginalised groups, alongside ensuring equitable allocation of state resources.

Governance and public administration reform

The manifesto proposes modernising the civil service through merit-based promotions, performance indicators, and autonomous transfer boards, alongside ending party-affiliated trade unions. 

Government processes, the party commits, will be digitised with mandatory online signatures and automatic file approvals after fixed deadlines. 

Constitutional bodies, including the anti-corruption commission and Judicial Council, will receive strengthened mandates. Other proposed constitutional amendments include directly elected executives, a fully proportional parliament, and non-partisan local governments.

The party pledges to run a nationwide anti-corruption campaign, including forming a high-level commission to investigate assets acquired since 1990, and confiscating illegally acquired wealth.

Judiciary and transitional justice

RSP pledges merit-based appointments to high courts and the Supreme Court, eliminating nepotism and political influence, including public disclosure of judges’ assets. Legislative measures include preventing the appointment of relatives to sensitive positions.

The manifesto also commits to transitional justice mechanisms and the enactment of reformative judicial laws to restore public trust.

Education and human capital development

RSP pledges education reforms that include autonomous, research-focused universities, merit-based teacher recruitment, foreign faculty mobility, and inclusive education for children with disabilities and neurodiverse students. 

The party aims to integrate sports education into curricula, with talent identification programs, sports pensions, and health insurance for athletes.

Health, social security, and housing

RSP proposes a unified health service model, expanded access to remote areas, speciality services in schools, mental health programs, preventive care initiatives, and world-class specialised hospitals. Social security reforms aim to eliminate duplication and misuse of benefits.

Housing plans include First Home Incentive Policy, integrated model settlements, and a High-Level National Land Rights Authority to allocate land scientifically, prioritising the landless and marginalised.

Environment, natural resources, and disaster risk management

The manifesto prioritises sustainable forest and pastureland management, Chure conservation, arsenic contamination control, forest fire alerts using drones, waste-to-energy projects, and climate finance strategies. 

Disaster preparedness includes early warning systems, relief centres, and risk mapping. The party also emphasises climate diplomacy and balanced national security, including border monitoring and digital consular services for expatriate Nepalis.

Diaspora engagement and knowledge transfer

RSP pledges online voting, continuity of citizenship by descent, a universal diaspora fund, and safe investment opportunities. 

The manifesto also aims to create a ‘National Knowledge Bank’ to connect foreign experts with domestic sectors in education, health, and industry, encouraging short-term and permanent return of diaspora professionals. 

The party envisions Nepali diaspora members as volunteer ambassadors for culture, language, tourism, and investment.