Kathmandu, October 5:

The government today empowered all 14 zonal administrators in the country to take action in corruption cases. They have authority to take action against anyone guilty of corruption.

Through an amendment to the Local Administration Act 1971, the government has given zonal administrators the power to take action against anyone guilty of corruption or delaying providing public services. They also have the authority to maintain peace and security in their zones and to monitor functions of district administration offices.

On August 22, the government had delegated Panchayat era administrative powers to regional and zonal administrators by authorising them to transfer government officials, after amending the Civil Service Act 1992 and Civil Service Regulations 1993.

The government, publishing the amendment of the 1971 Act today in Nepal Gazette two weeks after the royal seal, authorised the zonal administrators to submit reports regarding law and order in their respective zones to the government and the concerned regional

administrator.

The zonal administrators are also authorised to chair the security committee in their respectives zone. The local chief of the Royal Nepalese Army, the zonal chiefs of Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force are members of the committee while the zonal chief of the National Intelligence Department is the member-secretary.

The government also authorised zonal administrators to monitor the border areas and control criminal activities along the border. “The monitoring report about border areas should be presented before the government through the regional administrator,” reads the Gazette.