As of now, non-gazetted civil servants (Kharidars) are working as secretaries in the VDCs.
A cabinet meeting on January 30 had decided to appoint section officers, who were promoted last year from non-gazetted first class posts under a special scheme, as VDC secretaries.
Some 13,000 non-gazetted first class staff who had completed 15 years in service were promoted under the scheme.
“How can we expect section officers to work in VDCs in districts when non-gazetted staffers are reluctant to work in such places,” a high-ranking official at the ministry requesting anonymity said.
“Absence of VDC secretaries will hinder service delivery in the villages.”
The cabinet decision is silent over the structure of employees in those VDCs where gazetted third class officers (section officers) are being appointed as secretaries.
Under the existing administrative structure three non-gazetted first class staff and three non-gazetted second class staff are under the command of a section officer.
As per the government decision, section officers will be appointed as secretaries in 41 VDCs, which have been recommended for municipalities, 55 VDCs which have been recommended for sub-municipalities, 13 VDCs that are district headquarters and all 41 VDCs inside Kathmandu Valley.
“The decision will also hamper development work and delivery of social security assistance to the people in the VDCs in the absence of secretaries at a time when local bodies have been with out people’s representatives for a long time,” said the source.
“No section officer is ready to serve as VDC secretary in those districts where their counterparts are working as acting Local Development Officers,” the source added.
Altogether 315 VDC do not have secretaries for the past few years.
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