Thursday’s cabinet meeting took a decision in this regard, the chief secretary told Republica on Sunday. Finance Secretary Suman Prasad Sharma and Secretary at the Ministry of General Administration Naindra Prasad Upadhyaya are members of the panel.
“We will recommend the government as to which government bodies need to provide incentives to staffers and which not,” Chief Secretary Paudyal said, adding, “We will also suggest various ways to maintain uniformity in perks and benefits for employees working at all government agencies.”
At present, government offices are providing allowances to their employees without any set criteria.
The chief secretary claimed that government bodies are providing 50 percent incentives to their employees according to the workload and nature of work except at the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, Parliament Secretariat and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which provide higher incentives.
“Employees at Public Service Commission, Election Commission and Parliament Secretariat are getting relatively higher incentives in line with their internal rules and regulations. But they should seek consent of the Finance Ministry before providing higher perks and incentives. There should be uniformity in perks and incentives,” Paudyal said.
Even senior government officials have started voicing against discrimination on perks and incentives among civil servants working at various government bodies.
At a recent meeting of the parliament’s Finance Committee, Secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development Arjun Karki raised the issue of discrepancies in perks and incentives at government offices.
“Low-ranking government staffers working at Parliament Secretariat get up to Rs 55,000 in salary per month and additional Rs 600 per day as food allowance,” Secretary Karki said adding, “Interestingly, over 80 staffers of the Ministry of Urban Development deputed at the Constituent Assembly building are not getting similar incentives even though their workload is same as that of those in parliament service. Why is this happening?”
The cabinet had doubled the monthly allowances for employees working at the CIAA citing their workload.
Earlier, the cabinet had decided to provide 50 percent of the salary as incentive to employees at various offices such as National Vigilance Centre, President’s Office, Prime Minister’s Office, Election Commission, Finance Ministry and its offices and Vice-president’s Office, on the basis of individual performance.
Employees at some government offices receive additional incentives. For example, staffers of Revenue offices get 200 percent of their total salary as incentive, Finance Ministry (50 percent), and Office of the Employees’ Personal Records (100 percent).
The aforementioned offices are considered ‘lucrative’ due to the handsome allowances, perks and facilities.
A joint Secretary at the Ministry of General Administration opined that the discrepancy in allowance at government bodies should be ended. “Workload is relatively low for the employees at Prime Minister’s Office and President’s Office but they are paid higher perks and allowances. Incentives should be provided on the basis of performance and the nature of work,” he said.
However, the government provides different amounts as allowances to employees working at district-level offices. But employees working at district-level offices also get relatively little allowances than Kathmandu-based offices for similar work.
While talking to Republica Minister for General Administration Lal Babu Pandit said he wants to end the disparity in allowances at government bodies. “Once the panel headed by the chief secretary comes up with its report, we will take appropriate steps,” the minister said. - See more at: http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=92272#sthash.fVNAnSGi.dpuf
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