PM Deuba highlights role of bureaucracy in nation building

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said bureaucracy has an important responsibility for nation-building.

Employees are the frontline service providers to the people and they are expected to ensure quality service, he asserted.

In his address to a ceremony organized to mark the 19th Civil Service Day here today, the head of the government highlighted the need for cooperation and coordination on behalf of bureaucracy for the overall development of the nation.

"We will be in the government provided that people choose us to do that role through their ballots, but you are the permanent government and it is in your hands to build the nation," the Prime Minister said, pledging the government was ready to ensure required facilities to the government employees.

He took time to urge bureaucracy to pay special heed to the delivery of quality and effective services.

Also speaking on the occasion, Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration, Rajendra Prasad Shrestha, stressed that Civil Service administration should be the synonym for excellence. Underlining the need for digitalizing civil administration and giving prompt services, he said the situation of the citizen wandering from this room to that for three days by carrying a file to get administrative works done should be ended. He was referring to the sluggish response system in the civil service.

According to the Minister, the Federal Civil Service Bill will be tabled in the parliament once the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Law provide submissions. Those issues left out of the Bill will be sorted out through discussions with the authorized trade union.

Chief Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi stressed the need for the bureaucracy to move ahead by learning from past shortcomings. "Civil servants are committed to the national service at three levels. None is exempted from delaying service delivery. Efficient bureaucracy can effectively deliver service to people," he said.

Secretary of the Ministry of General Administration Arjun Prasad Shrestha said government workers were at work to carry out reforms in the entire administration.

Chairperson of the Nepal Civil Service Employees' Association Lekhnath Koirala viewed that the temporary government interference with the work of the 'permanent government' (bureaucracy) had affected development activities in the country.

He stressed that the Federal Civil Service Act that was stuck in the parliament for the past four years should be endorsed soon.

On the occasion, PM Deuba and Minister Shrestha handed copper plaques to those civil servants, who last year were honored with the 'civil service award'.

Similarly, 41 civil service employees were honored.