RUKUM, April 26: These days Samir Giri, the in-charge of Maikot Health Post in Putha Rural Municipality of Rukum (East), has hardly any time for rest. From early morning to late evening, he is busy examining patients coming from wards 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the rural municipality. Interestingly, Giri isn't just busy at the health post as he has also been entrusted with the responsibility of the secretary of all these four wards.

He is responsible for maintaining the vital registration of wards 1, 2, 3 and 4. He has been handling the responsibility of ward secretary for the last one year.

Similarly, Umesh Pandit, the in-charge of Hukam Health Post, is also handling the responsibility of ward secretary for wards 5 and 6.

It might be hard for people to believe but there are only three staffers at the office of the rural municipality which has 14 wards. Due to the lack of enough staffers, it has been hard for the local units to deliver services to the people. Rabindra Budha Chhetri, chief administrative officer (CAO) of the rural municipality, laments manpower crunch has posed a serious problem in service delivery.

He informed Republica that he has been sharing his office with Accountant Shibaram Khadka and non-gazetted officer Udiram Roka for the last one year. Apart from doing the regular work of the rural municipality, non-gazetted officer Roka also performs the duties of the secretary in wards 10 and 11. Accountant Khadka will be working here only for two more months due to the government's civil servant adjustment program.

Since the formation of the local government, leaders and local representatives have been claiming that they will make the services of Singha Durbar accessible in the rural parts. However, in reality, receiving government services has become more hassling for the locals. Managing sufficient manpower has become the major challenge for the local governments. "The government has sanctioned 31 positions of staffers including 14 ward secretaries and 17 staffers for the rural municipality office. However, there are only three staffers here at present," said CAO Chhetri.

The manpower crunch has posed a problem even in project implementation. In order to carry out the daily work effectively, the rural municipality has appointed some technicians on contract.

 
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