SAC questions state minister, officials on recruitment process of NT, NEA

The vacancies announced by Nepal Electricity Authorities (NEA) and Nepal Telecom for which many candidates have applied, are meant to make permanent many temporary employees working at these offices.

This was revealed when the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC) discussed with the State Minister for Water Resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and other officials the issue of NT and NEA placing advertisements a year ago to fill certain vacancies but not holding any exams for those who had applied, reports said.

Over 69,000 people applied for 900 vacancies in NEA, and 1,600 in NT for 140 posts.

On the other hand, there is an issue of staff appointed on temporary basis in Corporations including NT and NEA seeking permanent appointment just because they have been serving those bodies for a long time.

Karki told the SAC members that the advertisements for filling the vacancies were placed just to internally give permanent appointment to the temporary staff.

“It is unfair that the authority created vacancies because politicians needed their kith and kin to get permanent government jobs. Advertisements have been placed and exams not held as exams involving a large number of applicants could not be managed,” Water Resources Secretary Tika Dutta Niraula told the SAC.

Speaking against giving permanent appointment to all temporary staff, he said even the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) refused his request to investigate the case.

“We cannot remove those who have been working for long without being confirmed, but giving permanent appointment to them through the backdoor is not fair,” said Shankar Prasad Koirala, Information Secretary. nepalnews.com pb Nov 28 06