KATHMANDU, Sept 17: The government has stepped up preparations to introduce the Federal Civil Service Bill and is awaiting advice from the Public Service Commission (PSC) before finalizing the draft.
The bill seeks to regulate the formation and operation of the federal civil service, service conditions, career development, transfers and promotions, while making the civil administration more accountable and effective under the federal system.
The draft has already received feedback from the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Finance and has been sent to the PSC for consultation. The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration will incorporate the feedback before submitting the bill to the Cabinet.
Ministry spokesperson Ekdev Adhikari said the ministry expects to receive the PSC's advice within a week. He said the proposed bill includes several new provisions, including a one-time retirement arrangement under which employees who have completed 30 years of service or reached the age of 55 would be retired, while the general retirement age would remain 60.
Under the proposed arrangement, employees retiring at 55 under the one-time provision would continue to receive the benefits applicable until the age of 58, according to Adhikari.
Bill bars local units from recruiting civil servants
The bill also seeks to clarify administrative relations among the federal, provincial and local governments and introduce changes to employee recruitment, transfers, postings, performance evaluation and promotion.
Among the key proposals are a technology-based civil service, a new Nepal information technology center, annual performance contracts for secretaries and other senior officials, and quarterly reviews and public disclosure of performance results.
The draft proposes stricter rules on transfers, including minimum and maximum periods of service at a post. Employees would generally not be allowed to remain in the same office in the same post with the same responsibilities for more than four years.
It also proposes a civil service board to oversee transfers, postings and career management of civil servants up to the second-class officer level. Transfers and postings would be conducted through an information technology-based system.
The bill proposes making performance evaluation more results-oriented, with service delivery agencies taking feedback from service recipients into account. It also includes provisions on conflicts of interest, ethical screening and restrictions on promotion or nomination for employees with poor performance or personal arrears.
Another major proposal is to remove trade unions from the civil service while establishing mechanisms to address employees' service-related concerns and grievances.
The draft also includes provisions for human resource audits every two years, greater coordination among the three tiers of government, and electronic management of employee records and office administration.
It further proposes disciplinary action against civil servants who engage in political activities, become members of political parties or their affiliated organizations, or contest elections for political office.
PSC spokesperson Purushottam Sharma said the commission is studying the bill and preparing its advice. He said the commission is also carrying out previously scheduled interviews and other recruitment-related activities alongside the consultation process.
Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Pratibha Rawal had earlier announced in the House of Representatives that the government would table the bill in the Federal Parliament after completing preparations.
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