KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 19

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration forwarded an anti-graft commitment letter to chief administrative officers of all 753 local levels, directing them to put their signature on it and send the signed copy back to the Local Level Administration Section of the MoFAGA via email by November 24.

The commitment letter incorporates an 18-point commitment, which need to be fulfilled by all CAOs compulsorily in pursuance of their duties and responsibilities. One of the major components of the commitment letter is that CAOs shall adhere to implementation of two slogans — ‘I don’t indulge in corruption and don’t allow others either’ and ‘zero arrears’ to control financial embezzlement.

Most of the respondents interviewed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority during a study said corruption was endemic at the local levels.

They said local level office-bearers and employees did not provide any service without bribe.

According to the finding of the ‘Study on Corruption in Local Levels-2020’ published recently by the anti-graft body, 55.3 per cent of the respondents claimed they either paid or heard about under-thetable money solicited by responsible officers at the local levels even as they met all requirements for receiving the service.

The key areas of corruption in local levels include planning, administration, financial administration, revenue, civil registration, education, building permit, health, supplies management, environment and women and children, indicates the study.

Alcoholism, family needs, culture of nepotism/favouritism, skyrocketing inflation, lack of education and awareness, erosion of moral values and power obsession were encouraging local level office-bearers, employees and others to indulge in corruption.

As per the commitment letter, each CAO shall submit to the MoFAGA and Ministry of Finance four-monthly and annual reports along with development activities and service delivery of the concerned local government in a timely manner.

Similarly, the CAOs shall put in utmost efforts to make intergovernmental coordination and collaboration more effective and systematic by utilising innovative technology and skills in office management.

The commitment letter also requires the CAOs to prioritise formulation and implementation of local laws, provide basic training in administrative culture and procedures to their subordinate employees, make employees disciplined and maintain and update local data and records.

“The CAOs shall adopt instruments such as public hearing, public audit and social audit on a regular basis to promote public accountability, strongly implement the building code for development of safe and well-managed housing, and maintain the website of the concerned office,” the commitment letter reads.

Likewise, no CAO shall be allowed to keep their official mobile phone switched off.

According to the commitment letter, each CAO shall serve in the assigned workstation for a period of at least one year, besides publishing audit report and annual report on the website.

It also requires the CAOs to remain politically neutral and committed to service. The commitment paper has made it mandatory for the CAOs to fully implement the frameworks of child-friendly and environment-friendly local governance.