KATHMANDU, Dec 9: Chief District Officer of Bardiya, Ram Bahadur Kurumbang, has clinched the title of Integrity Idol of Nepal 2018.
Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Lal Babu Pandit handed over the award to CDO Kurumbang amid a program organized in the capital on Friday.
Kurumbang was chosen from among the five finalists for the coveted title based on SMS and online voting. A total of five civil servants were in the fray for the title.
Bardiya’s CDO Kurumbang bags Integrity Nepal Idol title
Following a nationwide campaign, Integrity Idol had been whittled down to five finalists from 1,062 nominations from across the country.
Kurumbang, who joined government service in 1998, has served in seven districts in his capacity as CDO. The panel of judges described him as a 'bold, accountable, honest and popular administrator'.
“The honor of Integrity Idol has not only boosted my morale but also made me more accountable toward the citizens,” Kurumbang told Republica after receiving the award.
Accountability Lab, the organizer which elects integrity idols from among civil servants worldwide every year, started organizing Integrity Idol contest in Nepal since 2014.
The five finalists were chosen by a four-member panel of judges led by former CIAA chief Suryanath Upadhyay. The panel included administration expert Kashi Raj Dahal, executive director of Nepal Administrative Staff College Punya Prasad Neupane and former secretary Jeevan Prabha Lama as members.
The finalists included CDO Kurumbang, senior horticulture officer Arun Kafle, chief administrative officer of Tikapur Municipality Dhruba Raj Acharya ,under secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Mahendra Prasad Paudel and Sita Kumari Sharma, senior ANM at Municipal Health Office in Birendranagar.
