OPMCM directive comes at a time when the House panel and MoFA are at odds over the report´s recommendation that proposes to allow “inter-ministerial service change and transfers” of “deserving” government employees to foreign service. [break]
The report prepared after holding consultations with various stakeholders for over six months argues that such a provision is necessary in view of the changing scope of foreign ministry that ranges from economic diplomacy to environment to international law in recent years.
An OPMCM letter dated March 9 has directed MoFA to bring into implementation the recommendations of the report, saying that the report endorsed by the House panel and subsequently presented in the parliament had come in writing to them for implementation. The letter has asked MoFA to bring all provisions related to the ministry into implementation.
Committee Chairman Padam Lal Bishwakarma expressed happiness over the government´s willingness to bring the report into implementation. “The report has paved the way for inter-ministerial service change and transfers of deserving candidates to foreign service,” he said.
Bishwakarma said the report has recommended allowing inter-ministerial service change or transfers through “due procedures”. “Government employees serving in other ministries should also get a chance to compete in internal examinations for foreign service conducted by public service commission. Obviously it implies competitive examinations,” said Bishwakarma.
Among other things, the report has recommended allowing “deserving” officials from other related ministries to compete for ambassadorial positions in the 50 percent quota reserved for “career diplomats and professional experts”. The remaining 50 percent quota for ambassadorial positions is reserved for political appointees.
MoFA has also registered its reservation over the proposal to include officials from other ministries in the 50 percent ambassadorial quota reserved for career diplomats.
OPMCM has also sent separate letters along with a copy of the report to various other ministries including finance, commerce, law, tourism, industry, agriculture, home, education, defense, land reforms, Irrigation, energy, science and physical planning and works to bring into implementation the recommendations related to their ministries.
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