Discussion held with amendment proposers on Federal Civil Service Bill

KATHMANDU: The parliamentary Committee on State Affairs and Good Governance has intensified clause-by-clause discussions on the Federal Civil Service Bill, aiming to pass it in the upcoming session of the Federal Parliament.

Committee Chair Ram Hari Khatiwada, in today’s meeting, emphasized the need for continuous discussions to prepare the bill for presentation in the next session and urged all members to provide necessary support.

Khatiwada also requested chief whips of major political parties to ensure regular participation in the meetings to establish a common stance on the bill among all parties represented in the Parliament.

Among the 19 bills currently under consideration in various parliamentary committees, some focus on corruption control and federalism. The Federal Civil Service Bill alone has received 1,582 amendments from 124 lawmakers.

The proposers of the amendments stressed the importance of establishing a predictable and organized civil service system to end the frequent transfers of civil servants following changes in government.

They emphasized making state-provided services simple, accessible, and citizen-focused while criticizing the current system for being mired in personal gains and benefits for civil servants.

They further proposed that promotions should be based on service delivery performance and called for an end to the trend of transferring officials whenever a new government takes office.

Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Prasad Ghimire stated that an agreement had been reached among chief whips to resolve any difficulties in advancing the bill through dialogue.

The Federal Civil Service Bill has been introduced to align the country’s administrative system with the governance structure, ensuring it is well-organized, functional, and result-oriented.

It also aims to enhance administrative federalism’s effectiveness.

The bill proposes an entry age of 37 years for women and 32 years for men into civil service, with a retirement age of 60 years. It outlines 11 groups, nine categories, and up to 14 levels within the civil service structure.