JANAKPURDHAM: Administration in most ministries of the Madhesh Province government is currently being conducted by officiating secretaries.
Six ministries are currently operating under officiating secretaries. Even the important position of principal secretary of the provincial government is lying vacant.
The Office of the Province Chief; the Ministry of Forests and Environment; the Ministry of Energy, Irrigation and Water Supply; the Ministry of Home Affairs, Communications and Law; the Ministry of Education and Culture; the Ministry of Sports and Social Welfare; and the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development are among the government agencies in the province that do not have a secretary.
Joint Secretary Ram Kumar Mahato, who has been serving as finance secretary, has been named officiating secretary of the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers since Principal Secretary Madan Bhujel’s transfer in August.
Similarly, the Office of the Province Chief has been managed for a long time by Officiating Secretary Shatrudhan Yadav.
The Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers has approved posts for one principal secretary, one secretary, and four joint secretaries. However, at present, only Yamendra Upadhyay on the administrative side and one under-secretary, Rohit Koirala, are working in the approved posts. The remaining secretary-level posts are vacant.
Navonarayan Mishra is serving as officiating secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Environment; Ram Kumar Khanga at the Ministry of Energy, Irrigation and Drinking Water; Ganesh Nayak at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Communications and Law; Dilip Kumar Thakur at the Ministry of Education and Culture; Ranjit Yadav at the Ministry of Sports and Social Welfare; and Sanjay Prasad Sah at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development.
Ganesh Nayak has been serving as officiating secretary since November 11, following the transfer of Bimal Rizal. Ranjit Yadav, who has been named officiating secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Social Welfare, has his permanent posting at the Cooperative Board. Although the board recalled him after he began serving as officiating secretary in June, he has continued to remain at the ministry.
Ram Kumar Khanga has been serving as officiating secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Irrigation and Water Supply for the past two years, while Dilip Kumar Thakur has been discharging responsibility as the officiating secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture for the same period.
Only Jaya Kumar Ghimire at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism; Yubaraj Adhikari at the Ministry of Labour and Transport; Umesh Dahal at the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives; and Pramod Yadav at the Ministry of Health and Population are working as full-fledged secretaries in the provincial government.
Officiating secretaries say the absence of permanent secretaries has not created major problems in day-to-day work. Sanjay Prasad Sah, officiating secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, says he has not encountered any major problems. “But it depends on the extent of responsibility that has been delegated,” he added.
Jaya Kumar Ghimire, secretary at the Ministry of Industry and a former officiating principal secretary, says problems arise if one tries to go beyond the authority delegated by the government. “Since officiating secretaries are given full responsibility, there is no hindrance to work,” he added.
However, officiating principal secretary Ram Kumar Mahato says the outcomes of work done by permanent secretaries and acting secretaries differ. “Work carried out by permanent secretaries leads to stable and result-oriented outcomes, whereas the results of work done by acting secretaries tend to be unstable and short-term,” he added. “Due to limitations in duties and authority, officiating secretaries may face delays or even obstruction of plans while dealing with important decisions or executing challenging tasks.”
Some employees say that although officiating secretaries do not face major problems in routine work, difficulties arise in decisive and important matters. Suresh Sharma, a retired employee of the Provincial Forest Directorate, says there will not be much problem if sufficient authority is delegated. “But difficulties may arise in endorsing files and making important decisions,” he added.
According to him, seven secretary-level posts — one principal secretary, five secretaries (administration), and one secretary (legal) — are currently lying vacant.
