Kathmandu, March 15

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has issued a circular to all employees of district coordination offices and local levels, directing them not to leave their workstations  without getting their leave or deputation approved by the concerned district coordination officer at the DAOs and chairperson or mayor of the local levels.

The 13-point circular said chief executive officers should handle the leave or deputation approval process of employees working in ward offices and service centres. “The employees are also directed to perform their duties and responsibilities only from the office where they have been previously assigned to,” read the circular.

Similarly, the MoFALD has told the DCOs, municipalities and rural municipalities to exercise prescribed financial powers in an economic and transparent way. “No DCO or local level will be allowed to make an advance payment to the employees from expenditure headings, including social security allowance, in contravention of the existing laws. In case an advance payment is made to the employees, its detailed statement shall be submitted to the higher-up agency within the prescribed period,” it said.

The local levels have been directed to distribute security allowance to the beneficiaries through banking channel in their jurisdictions where banks and financial institutions exist. The MoFALD also expressed concern about the delay on the part of some ward offices in submitting necessary documents to the concerned municipalities or rural municipalities for fund disbursement to implement various planning and programmes. “The delay could result in accumulation of arrears in future and affect development activities,” it warned.

Meanwhile, the MoFALD had urged the DCOs and local levels to expedite the process of owning assets, liabilities and arrears from previous district development committees, village development committees and municipalities to prevent the misuse of moveable and immovable property.

The MoFAD has designated 7 joint secretaries for each province to facilitate and monitor the functioning of the local levels and to coordinate in dispelling confusion about new laws. Anandaraj Dhakal will oversee Province 1, Suresh Adhikari Province 2, Hari Paudel Province 3, Ram Krishna Sapkota Province 4, Purusottam Nepal Province 5, Bed Bahadur Karki Province 6 and Rudra Singh Tamang Province 7.

The joint secretaries will work in close coordination with the district-level teams to assist in running the local levels in the changed context. Despite enactment of various laws related to local levels as per the federal setup, people’s elected representatives are still in confusion about the functions, duties and powers conferred on them by the constitution.