CDOs of many districts had continually been complaining that attending to ministers visiting in their respective districts left their whole schedule in limbo and also left them hard-pressed resource-wise. The Home Ministry, accordingly, started working a couple of weeks ago on new regulations to free CDOs from the chore of fussing over visiting ministers.
However, the slapping of CDO Durga Prasad Bhandari in Parsa Tuesday by Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperative Karima Begum over a trivial matter has changed the scenario and officials said they would speed up the groundwork for the new regulations.
"Nobody can work anywhere if he is going to be demoralized in this way," said an under-secretary.
The ministry will soon be forwarding a proposal to the cabinet for a decision that would rid the CDOs of all responsibility for hospitality to ministers and high-ranking government officials. Though there is no law compelling CDOs in this regard, the Home Ministry has been directing the District Administration Offices (DAO) to manage security, logistics and accommodation for VIPs as a general practice.
Officials said they are working out two options to replace the existing system-- entrusting hospitality to the line agencies of the concerned ministry or setting up a new mechanism with a courtesy officer in every district.
"What a CDO would then be concerned with is security only which he takes charge of all the time," said an official at the Peace and Security Department. Given approval of the new regulations, the DAO will only be responsible for hospitality for the president, the prime minister and the home minister.
According to an official, CDOs in districts like Morang, Parsa, Bhairahawa, Kaski and Banke, which have airports and connectivity to other districts, seem to waste most of their time running after ministers. DAOs are also said to have suffered a fund crunch to manage hospitality for high-profile guests. "A DAO hardly gets Rs 30,000 for hospitality," he said. "CDOs have to seek ´other sources´ even to manage fuel for the vehicles provided."
Similarly, CDOs are loaded with recommendations granted to party cadres every time a minister arrives. "They not only have to listen to the ministers but also to their cronies," an official recalling his experience said.
PLEASE DESIST FROM ATTACKING THE WRITER PERSONALLY AND BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHER READERS.
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Agree with abc. What Nepal needs is "democratization" of the bureaucracy too (not only Army). Agreed that itīs not the job of the CDO to be the butler of visiting ministers. But itīs not like the bureaucrats really serve the Nepali ppl either. They too behave like overlords in their districts. Secondly, the Nepali civil service is an exclusive Bahun fiefdom. More than 90% of CDOs and Secretaries are probably Bahuns. The bureaucracy needs to be made more inclusive and representative.
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SN
It is unexceptably surprise that these so-called ministers and VIPs would want to be respected and honored so much. They must be treated in the similar way that any other citizens are treated.
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gajendra
It is great disaster for Nepali people becauase it gives negative lesson to political practioner.I think it must invited anarchy in the state.It is not better attack physically by minister to chief district officer.It is symbol of nilism in the term of wisdom.Such behaviour must be reformed by governing body.
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HomRaj Khadka
Don´t just blame the lady minister. Nepali people are fed with the arrogance of the bureaucrats. We need people like Matrika Yadav to teach a lesson or two to these bureaucrats.
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abc
thats it? what about action action against the minister for manhandling a high-profile Govt. officer?
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