Civil servants overstaying deputation to face action

KATHMANDU, Dec 15: As government employees have continued with their official deputation even after the end of their three-month deputation period, the Ministry of General Administration (MoGA) has decided to monitor all the ministries and other authorities to take action against those disobedient employees from next week.

According to the ministry, over 550 government employees sent to various government bodies by the ministry on official deputation have already crossed their deputation period but, instead of returning to their original posts, have continued with their deputation against the law.


Similarly, many government employees have gone on official deputation through their respective ministerial channels and they are yet to return to their original posts, said Rajendra Kumar Poudel, spokesperson of the ministry. He added that the MoGA is collecting data on such employees from the last week.

Poudel said some government employees at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) were found to be working for over two years on deputation and they have remained reluctant to return to their original posts.

"A detail provided by the MoFALD shows that around 35 employees at the ministry have been found to be working on deputation even though their deputation period has already expired," he added.

Issuing a directive on November 15, the MoGA had asked all the government employees on deputation to return to their original posts as the trend was seriously affecting service delivery of the concerned offices where they were originally posted.

"We also fear the trend was making government employees increasingly irresponsible toward their duty. So, we are making necessary preparations to carry out monitoring on all the ministries and take action against those disobedient employees," said Poudel.

The ministry is preparing for departmental action against such disobedient officials, according to the ministry. Those working even after the expiry of their deputation period are officials from non-gazetted to under-secretary level posts.

"We have sought details from all the ministries about the employees who are on deputation as only few employees have returned to their original posts even after the ministry issued the directive. Once it is collected, we will carry out monitoring and take action against those officials working even after expiry of the deputation period," he said.

The ministry informed that the election commission has already pledged to the ministry to return all the employees working on deputation by next week.

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