Dhangadi, February 24

Delay in setting up required infrastructure has affected the smooth functioning of provincial government in Province 7. One week has passed since the provincial government was formed but due to unavailability of staffers and lack of infrastructure, various ministries have failed to start their work.

Of the 125 employees deployed at various ministries in the province, only 64 have reported to their duty till yesterday. And those who have reported to their duty are also workless due to delay in preparing setting up the required offices. Only the Office of Chief Minister and Secretaries has been set up till date.

For want of offices, employees huddle in a single room and carry out their duty. Milan Bahadur KC, the deputy secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law said though eight staffers had reported to the ministry they could not work for want of office space. Decoration, painting and furnishing work of most of the offices has yet to be done.

Secretary Bishnu Bahadur Singh at the Ministry of Social Development said not a single office for the employees of his ministry was ready to be used. “Once the offices for the employees are ready, the ministry will start its work”, Minister Singh said. It would take around one week to prepare the offices. “Since the ministry is set up at the newly-built building, water and telephone facilities are yet to be installed,” Singh added.

Secretary at Ministry of Physical and Infrastructure Ministry has yet to report to his duty in the province. Rajanraj Pandey has been appointed as the secretary at the ministry who is out of the country on leave. Six employees have reported to the ministry till date.

Of the eight deployed employees, seven have reported to the Ministry of Financial Affairs and Planning. The ministry has quota of 18 staffers.

Though 30 quotas have been fixed for the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of General Administration at the centre deployed just 12 employees at the ministry. Only five employees reported to the ministry till yesterday.

Similarly, of the 20 employees deployed at the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment, sixteen have reported to the ministry so far. Secretary at the ministry is on leave as his office has yet to be ready.

Though quota for 29 staffers has been fixed for the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, only 12 have reported to their duty till date. Owing to delay in setting up infrastructure, ministers have gone to districts for inspecting various projects.