KATHMANDU, Feb. 17 -- Provincial governments have started blaming the center for lack of support after the seven provinces started bearing the brunt of public ire for failing to bring a marked difference in the lives of commoners within the first year of their tenure. All the provincial governments celebrated their first anniversary this month with little to boast in their progress report. Chief ministers have cited formulation of new laws as their major achievements, something they claim have laid the foundation for smooth functioning of the provincial governments.

Chief ministers and leaders of provincial governments say the delay in formulation of laws, crunch of resources and apathy of the centre in empowering the provinces had affec...