Kathmandu, May 31

Local governments need over 7,000 civil servants to deliver services to the public.

After conducting a  survey, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration came up with the final report that local governments needed  four layers of administrative civil servants, including non-gazetted first class and second class officers, section officers and under-secretaries.

According to Prem Luitel, an under-secretary in the MoFAGA, the ministry needed to send 6,970 civil servants to local levels immediately. “They are needed to do administrative jobs. We are trying to figure out how many technical employees are needed.” Luitel said.

According to the survey, local levels need 6,200 non-gazetted first class officers and non-gazetted second class officers, 220 section officers, and 550  under-secretaries.

MoFAGA Secretary Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said his ministry was trying to fill vacancies in local levels as soon as possible. “We are talking to other ministries and if they agree we’ll send the required number of employees to local levels.” Thapaliya said.

Secretary Thapaliya said the local levels were facing difficulties in approving the designs of houses due to lack of technical staff.

Luitel said there were many civil servants who did not have defined jobs after the merger and split of some ministries. The government can send such employees to local levels, he added. The MoFAGA has already sent 82 section officers to local levels.

Tripura Sundari Rural Municipality Chair Shambhu Thapa said local levels had been facing multiple problems while dealing with the public due to lack of civil servants. “I hope this transition ends soon,” he added.