No more transfer of civil servants from one service category to another

KATHMANDU, July 16: Minister for General Administration Lal Babu Pandit on Wednesday said the recently-amended Civil Service Act bars transfer of civil servants from one service category to another.

Organizing a press meet at Singha Durbar to inform about the amendments to the Civil Service Act approved by parliament, he said civil servants from now onward shall be transferred or promoted only within the service category in which they started their service.The fourth amendment to the Civil Service Act has six service categories for special class civil servants (secretary level) -- Nepal Administration Service, Nepal Agriculture and Forest Service, Nepal Legal Service, Nepal Foreign Service, Nepal Administration Service and Nepal Auditor Service.

"It means civil servants will not be transferred from one service category to another," said Pandit. He said a special class mechanical engineer cannot become secretary at the finance ministry but can be promoted only under the technical service.

So far, special-class officers (secretary-level) were eligible for transfers to other service categories.

"I felt immense pressure from various groups not to forward the amendments to parliament. I even faced life threats. But I was determined to bring about reforms in the civil service," said he.

He said as the Act is already endorsed by the president, the government can now not only take action against civil servants holding dual citizenship but also those civil servants who have been working at various national and international organizations in various capacities.

The amendment to the Act states that promotion and salary hike of civil servants found working at various national and international organizations as consultants and advisors shall be halted for up to five years.

The government has given civil servants 30 days to inform the ministry if they have acquired permanent residency in any foreign country. Civil servants will be required to relinquish permanent residency in any foreign country within the next 60 days. Those failing to relinquish foreign residency permits will be removed from civil service and considered ineligible for any kind of governmental service in future.

Related story

Bill bars local units from recruiting civil servants