Federal secretariat employees provide hoods to high-ranking officials and their families without legal framework

KATHMANDU, Nov 24: A draft law regarding the facilities and materials provided to six high-ranking officials, their families, and ministerial residences remains stalled for 13 years.

Due to the lack of approved standards, Employees of the Federal Secretariat Construction and Management Office under the Ministry of Urban Development have been providing materials to high-ranking officials (the President and Vice President; the Prime Minister; the Chief Justice; the Speaker; and the Chairperson of the National Assembly) and their family members as requested, without any legal framework.

Although the draft was prepared 13 years ago, it has not been enacted into law due to various reasons, according to senior officials at the ministry. The absence of a legal framework has led to inconsistencies in the services and privileges provided to the family members of the high-ranking officials in question. This situation has arisen due to the lack of clear standards.

To provide materials to high-ranking officials and their families, the Management Office has set up separate units at the Ministerial Residence, the President's Office, and the Prime Minister's Residence. These units are staffed by employees deployed directly by the Secretariat. Family members of high-ranking officials and ministers request materials through these employees.

Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, Maniram Gelal, stated that he had drafted the standards for the facilities and services provided to high-ranking officials back in 2011. However, the draft has not been approved due to various reasons. Gelal, who is set to retire later this week (November 28) on mandatory grounds after completing his five-year tenure as Secretary, expressed his intent to finalize the standards before his retirement.

"I will continue to make maximum efforts to get the law passed within the next four or five days before my retirement," said Gelal. "This law needs to be approved as it is essential."

According to the ministry sources, the procedure clearly defines which materials should be provided to high-ranking officials and ministers' family members, and which not, and the quantity to be supplied if required.

"If the procedure had been approved, we would have provided materials to the ministerial residences and high-ranking officials as per the guidelines," says an employee of the Management Office. "However, in the absence of a legal framework, we have had to supply all requested materials." Currently, the procedure remains stalled at the Ministry of Urban Development. Secretariat employees stress the urgent need to approve the guidelines as soon as possible.

According to sources at the Ministry of Urban Development, the draft of the guidelines has undergone several name changes and is now titled ‘Standards for Services and Facilities for High-Ranking Officials, 2081’. Secretariat employees have been urging senior ministry officials to approve the law. The Management Office currently provides materials used by six high-ranking officials and ministerial residences.

Employees have been providing furniture, televisions, sofas, drawers, drinking water, and other daily necessities to the families of high-ranking officials and ministers. This costs the state over Rs 100 million annually.

Federal government ministers have recently moved to the new ministerial residence in Bhainsepati, while Supreme Court judges have started moving into the vacant old ministerial residence in Pulchowk. If the government provides official housing to the Supreme Court judges, it is certain that the government will incur an additional annual expenditure of Rs 10 million to Rs 20 million for its management and operation.

Whether the Ministry of Urban Development or the Supreme Court administration manages the residence, an additional budget will be allocated for this purpose. The decision on who will be responsible for managing and operating the justiceS' residence has not yet been finalized. According to sources in the Ministry of Urban Development, the Supreme Court has sent a letter to the ministry requesting them to manage the residences. The ministry has stated that additional manpower and budget will be needed for its management.