Nepal Police to have 4 and APF to have 2 AIGs

KATHMANDU, June 11: In a major overhaul of the security agencies, the government has decided to drastically reduce the number of Additional Inspectors General (AIG) in Nepal Police (NP) and Armed Police Force (APF).

A cabinet meeting held at Singha Durbar on Sunday decided to maintain only four AIG positions in Nepal Police and just two AIG positions in the APF, according to Information Minister Gokul Baskota, who is also the government’s spokesperson.

The cabinet decided to this effect based on a proposal presented by the Ministry of Home Affairs to readjust the two security agencies under the new federal setup.   

Until now, there were 16 AIGs  in Nepal Police, including four AIGs on its technical side. With the cabinet decision on Sunday, there will be three AIGs -- two AIGs at the Nepal Police headquarters and one AIG at Nepal Police Academy. Similarly, there will be just one AIG on the technical side of Nepal Police. The twelve AIG posts including three AIG posts on the technical side will be scrapped once the incumbent officials retire in due course.

Likewise, in the APF, there are 11 AIG positions. But following Sunday’s cabinet decision, there will be only two AIGs in the paramilitary force. 

Creation of several AIG positions had led to unhealthy competition for the post of the Inspector General of Police lately, dragging the security agencies into controversy.  

A retired Nepal Police chief termed the government move “highly positive”.

“We had a large number of unnecessary special class officers. This was against the general principle of command and hierarchy,” he said.

Retired police officials believe that the decision of the government is also expected to control unhealthy competition prevailing among senior police officials for the top police job. “When there are many AIGs, they all vie for the post of police chief. This has given rise to unhealthy competition among senior police officials,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

Senior police officials admit that having many senior officials in same organizational hierarchy had created serious problem in the chain of command in the police organization. In Nepal Army, there are only two Lieutenant Generals—the position just below Chief of Army Staff.

Although a section of people have claimed that the decision limited the chance of many police officers to get promoted to special class positions, the officials said that the police organizations should not be made victim due to such considerations. 

Similarly, the cabinet meeting has also decided to allow the Ministry of Home Affairs to appoint additional 1,600 security personnel of Nepal Police for establishing area police offices in the local units which lack police offices, by the next fiscal year. “The government has decided to give top priority to the task of restructuring the security agencies in line with the federal setup. As part of it, the cabinet has endorsed the proposal of the home ministry to create additional 3,101 posts to restructure Nepal Police under the new federal setup,” Minister Baskota said.

 
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