Kathmandu: The meeting of the government secretaries, coordinated by the Chief Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar, reached a unanimous decision on Tuesday to forgo extra allowances. This decision is part of an effort to maintain austerity in light of the current adverse economic situation.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the secretaries resolved that government programs such as seminars, workshops, and interactions should be conducted within government offices. Additionally, provincial and local levels will be encouraged to adopt similar measures. The secretaries also pledged their support for the government’s initiative to conduct free and fair elections for the House of Representatives, scheduled for March 5.
In a 21-point resolution, the secretaries committed to advancing activities in accordance with existing laws to expedite the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure. They acknowledged that if procurement laws impede progress, amendments would be pursued. The office of the public procurement monitoring under the Prime Minister’s Office would lead this process.
The secretaries emphasized collaboration among the National Planning Commission, the Finance Ministry, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to assess the extent of infrastructure damage. Immediate measures will be implemented to ensure the continuity of essential services such as telecommunications, electricity, justice delivery, food supply, healthcare, drinking water, education, and public transport.
Furthermore, a comprehensive action plan will be developed to compensate for damages to physical infrastructure, devices, machinery, vehicles, furniture, and information systems. The government also intends to eliminate small-scale projects, known as ‘tukre yojana,’ as proposed by the new administration.
Efforts will be made to enhance public service delivery, making it more efficient and aligned with the expectations and needs of the Gen-Z demographic.