“CIAA will soon issue the instruction in writing to the Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, Labor Secretary, Industry Secretary and Commerce and Supplies Secretary to not allow PEs, including Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC),” CIAA said in a statement. [break]
The constitutional anti-graft body has decided to ask the government to take policy decision and even amend the laws if required to uphold its decision.
CIAA took such a stance on after the insolvent petroleum monopoly - Nepal Oil Corporation -- recently attempted to distribute around Rs 200 million in bonus to its staffs, despite suffering cumulative loss of Rs 7.92 billion and negative net worth of Rs 7.63 billion in 2008/09.
The decision goes in line with the Ministry of Finance´s stand on the case. It has further bolstered the Finance Ministry´s request made last year to the Labor Ministry to correct the faulty Bonus Act that presently allows PEs to distribute bonus in a year of profit even if they reel under cumulative loss.
CIAA on Thursday also upheld the NOC board´s last week decision to annul its previous approval to distribute bonus to its staffs. The NOC board had revoked its previous decision after it drew widespread criticism from the government, financial regulators and consumer rights activists.
However, the two trade unions in the corporation -- NOC Employees´ Association and NOC Employees´ Organization -- have challenged the decision, stating that their demand for bonus for 2008/09 when the NOC made profit was a rightful claim.
In this connection, they on Wednesday even handed over a 13-point demand letter to the management, urging it to distribute bonus as per the prevailing Bonus Act, among others, or face strike.
The unions have given a weeklong ultimatum to the management to fulfill their demands. “If the management turned deaf ears, we will shut down distribution of petroleum products in the market,” they have stated in the letter.
Related story
NOC to distribute Rs 58 million as bonus to its employees
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
