Nepal, Feb. 4 -- For several years, a dominant narrative in public discourse has portrayed federalism-particularly the provincial tier-as expensive, inefficient and fiscally burdensome. Provinces are often depicted as an unnecessary 'middle layer' that inflates administrative costs without delivering proportional public value. This claim is repeatedly echoed in political debates, media commentary and even some policy discussions, often without reference to consolidated fiscal data or constitutional intent.

A careful examination of actual public expenditure data, however, tells a different story. The evidence is unambiguous. Provinces account for a small share of total public spending, an even smaller share of salary and representative co...