KATHMANDU, March 18: The post of Additional Secretary has been removed from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the draft of the Bill, 2080 presented in parliament to provide for the formation, operation and conditions of service of the Federal Civil Service that was submitted by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MOFADA) to the Council of Ministers and the PMO. The government registered this personnel legislation in parliament on March 4.

While senior employees appointed directly as joint secretaries express contentment with the omission, joint secretaries, undersecretaries, and section officers awaiting promotion express discontent. Intense lobbying is underway from both factions to either retain or remove the Additional Secretary position from the draft.

Designating Additional Secretary as a gazetted special category post would mandate automatic compulsory retirement after five years of service, aligning its tenure with that of the post of Secretary. Consequently, the expedited promotion of higher-level employees awaiting elevation to the Additional Secretary position would facilitate their progression.

Currently, despite serving for eight to 12 years as joint secretaries, promotion remains elusive for many. However, with the inclusion of the Additional Secretary position, this bottleneck would dissolve, propelling promotions for joint secretaries, some of whom are 12-15 years younger than the retirement age of 60, to the Secretary level at a younger age, potentially around 50.

"In the proposal we sent, we kept the post of Additional Secretary, but in the Prime Minister's Office, the post of Additional Secretary has been removed to the interests of a select few, including some employees working in the private secretariat of the Prime Minister," said a high-level employee of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA). 

The draft outlined by the MoFAGA features a hierarchical structure with 15 levels categorized as gazetted and non-gazetted. The proposed gazetted special category includes the Additional Secretary and Secretary positions, which would be occupied by employees at the 13th, 14th, and 15th levels.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates joint secretaries at the 11th and 12th levels. Many employees advocate the reinstatement of the Additional Secretary position, citing the necessity to delegate responsibilities and ensure comprehensive employee development.

In the existing system, numerous joint secretaries operate under the supervision of other joint secretaries across different departments and department-level offices. For instance, there are approximately six joint secretaries under the director general of the interior department. This arrangement often leads to internal conflicts and complicates coordination and organization efforts.

"In such a scenario, retaining the position of Additional Secretary would help maintain equilibrium and enhance service delivery effectiveness," stated an undersecretary from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFA). “Presently, joint secretary-level employees of the federation are appointed as the provincial secretaries. By allowing the Additional Secretary to take charge in this capacity, it would foster cooperation and coexistence, leading to improved inter-governmental coordination,” the undersecretary added.

 
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