Kathmandu, September 29

The government has passed the directives which require office bearers of the local levels to seek permission from the federal Cabinet and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration before making any foreign trips.

According to the new directive, mayors of metropolitan cities and chairpersons of DCCs should take permission from the federal  Cabinet  whereas other  office bearers of local levels, including deputy mayors of metropolitan cities, deputy mayors of sub-metropolitan cities, mayors of municipalities, deputy mayors of metropolitan cities, chairpersons of rural municipalities, vice-chairs of rural municipalities, and vice-chair of district coordination committees and others and government officials need to take permission from MoFAGA for foreign trips.

MoFAGA Secretary Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said the ministry introduced the new directives governing the visit of local office bearers and officials as the foreign affairs were under the jurisdiction of the federal government. There are 753 local levels and 77 district coordination committees in the country.  Thapaliya said, “The new directives do not intend to restrict office bearers from visiting foreign countries, but only to regulate their foreign visits.”

As per the new directives, local office bearers, before embarking on a foreign trip, should submit all the documents citing valid reasons for their foreign trip.

There should be a clear statement of financial prospect too. After coming back from the foreign trip, they should submit observation report to the government.

As per the directives, if anybody fails to submit his/her trip observation, then they will not be permitted to make foreign trips the next time. The directives also categorised local levels in four levels.

Heads of district coordination committees and mayors of metropolitan cities are categorised as special-level office bearers. Heads of sub-metropolitan cities and deputy mayors of metropolitan cities are categorised as first-level office bearers.

Mayors of municipalities, deputy mayors of sub-metropolitan cities, chairpersons of rural municipalities, deputy mayors of municipalities, deputy chairpersons of district coordination committees and members and vice-chairs of rural municipalities are categorised as second level office bearers. Other officials of local levels are included in the third level. The office bearers will get government allowance as per their levels.