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| Kathmandu, Thursday May 02, 2002 Baishakh 19, 2059. |
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SAC asks ADB not to implement
new regulation
Post Report
KATHMANDU, May 1: Parliamentary States Affairs
Committee (SAC) today issued directives to the Ministry of Finance and the management
board of Agriculture Development Bank (ADB) not to implement the recent amendment effected
in the ADB regulations which were approved by the government on February 21.
The new regulations governing the terms and
conditions of employees have provided for a specific arrangement for the employees working
on contract and daily wages to compete for permanent posts.
SAC has claimed that the changes in the
regulations were promulgated with an ulterior motive to benefit a handful of temporary
staff with political connections. The Committee has also issued orders to the authorities
to make necessary arrangements so as to ensure equal opportunities for all.
Similarly, SAC has issued directives to the
government to take necessary initiatives to amend the existing Agriculture Development Act
"so that the terms and conditions of the service are guided by the governing
Act."
In another decision, SAC has also ordered the
Bank management to draw up a human resource management plan and evolve a recruitment
procedure accordingly and in a transparent manner.
The SAC decision is a major set back to the Bank
management which has planned to regularise the temporary employees in due course of times.
But the SAC members claim that the latest decision would ensure just that.
"Any profit-oriented governmental
organisation can hire staff for efficient functioning, but the procedures of the
appointment should be transparent," said Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, Prakash Jwala and
Parashu Ram Meghi Gurung, all SAC members. Its chairperson Hridaya Ram Thani, too, shared
the same view.
Earlier, General Manager of the ADB, Devendra
Pratap Shah, deposing at the SAC meeting, said he had recommended the amendment in the
regulations with a holistic view of regularising the temporary staff who were still part
of temporary workforce. "The purpose was to reward the staff who had contributed to
revive the Bank over the years," he argued.
"I have made the decision to make the
employees permanent on the humanitarian ground and to give them a chance" Shah
further said. He, however, declined to disclose the exact number of vacancies and number
of positions he expected to fill up once the amended regulations went into force.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat
while speaking at the SAC said he was in favour of hiring the staff on contractual basis
"to cut the long-term liabilities."
Explaining the ministry’s go-ahead to the
ADB’s amendment proposal, Dr. Mahat said," The ministry approved the regulations
to cooperate with the Bank management’s objective of rewarding the staff."
Dr. Bimal Koirala, the Finance Secretary,
stressed the need to render the recruitment procedures of the Bank as transparent.
"All the recruitments, whether permanent or temporary, should be made in a
transparent manner," Koirala said, vowing to take necessary initiatives in his
capacity.
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