Government classifies local levels into four categories

Kathmandu / Jan 4: The government has classified the 753 local levels in the country. According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, the classification of local levels was made on the basis of infrastructure and social development status. The local levels have been categorized into four grades: far remote which is signified by ‘A’ class – 162; remote ‘B’- 218; moderately accessible ‘C’ – 275 and accessible ‘D’- 98, according to Ministry Spokesperson Suresh Adhikari.

Availability of transport facilities (standard and regularity of road and air transport facilities), distance from the province capital, distance from the district headquarters, availability of education facilities at the local level, status of health, telecommunications and electricity facilities and access to such services, the human development index and geographical locations are among the determining factors in the classifications of the local levels.

As he believed, the new classification would be helpful in the determination of the development priorities at the local level and in the management of employees deputed there and their perks and facilities.

The Ministry has called on the local levels to lodge a complaint to it within the next seven days if they are not satisfied with the classification.

Ministry and Civil Employees Trade Union sign agreement

Meanwhile, the Ministry and the Civil Employees Authorised Trade Union have signed on a nine-point agreement.

As per the agreement, civil employees have agreed to accept the ‘Employees Adjustment Ordinance – 2075 BS’, according to union vice chair Bhola Pokhrel.

According to him, an agreement has been reached to make necessary legal arrangement regarding the grade increment and promotion of the permanent ‘class-less’ employees who would be adjusted in the three tiers of the government service and to make provisions in the laws related to the conditions of service of the province and local levels so that the employees adjusted in the province and local levels, after their adjustment, could be transferred to the appropriate service group to the province and local level where their permanent address is located on the consent of the local level concerned by determining a specific term. Similarly, an agreement has been reached under which the Union would run a ‘help desk’ for the employees adjustment.

It is also agreed to make the adjustment process smooth and easy as well as rendering the employees management issues including the career development systematic, transparent and predictable.

Accordingly, the employees of all service groups who join the province civil service and local service through the adjustment would be provided a promotion opportunity in the federal (central) level until that employee gets chance for promotion in the same service; the service, conditions and facilities of the employees participating in the adjustment would be guaranteed in accordance with the Civil Service Act, 2049; and the salary, allowances, gratuity, pension, family stipend and medical treatment expenses, among other perks of the employees which they have been getting would be guaranteed even after their adjustment, which would not be less than that they have been currently enjoying.

Similarly as per the agreement, legal arrangements would be made so that the existing level and seniority of the employees going for adjustment in the various posts at the province and local level would not be affected; the authorized trade union’s representative would be included while formulating the policy on employees management; topics including the education, health and employees welfare fund of the civil servants would be included in the Federal Civil Service Act; and the minimum educational qualification of Non-gazetted first-class technical employees, at the time of their joining service, would be considered the base while adjusting them in the sixth class posts at the province and local level as provisioned in the Regulations concerning the group formation and class division and appointment of the service concerned. RSS