National
Federalism has led many civil servants in Achham to work sans payment
Amit Kumar Yadav, a resident of Janakpur in Dhanusha district, passed an examination conducted by the Public Service Commission to be appointed as a government employee.Menuka Dhungana
Amit Kumar Yadav, a resident of Janakpur in Dhanusha district, passed an examination conducted by the Public Service Commission to be appointed as a government employee. He was posted at the then Livestock Development Office in Achham as an assistant livestock health technician in mid-April last year. But Yadav got his salary till mid-July only; he has yet to receive his pay for the last nine months.
Yadav got enlisted in Phajil (redundant) post after the then Livestock Development Office dissolved. Following the federal set up in the country, the then Livestock Development Office came under the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Centre. The centre has its office in Bajura district and it has its liaison office in Achham.
“I left my home in Janakpur for this job. But, it has been nine months since my job was declared redundant. I have not received my salary from the beginning of the current fiscal year,” Yadav said.
Yadav’s situation is just one case in point. Four other employees from the Livestock Development Office and one from the Agriculture Development Office are facing the same ordeal. Their posts have been declared redundant and none of them have received their wages since the beginning of this fiscal.
“The kind of service we provide now is the same as before. The only change is in the name of the office. We go to the office everyday but we don’t get paid for it anymore,” said Yadav. “The government should give proper directives on what’s to be done next. We have been suffering a lot because of their lack of action.”
Krishna Prasad Acharya, chief district officer, said he had taken the employees’ issue to the higher authorities but hasn’t received any concrete answer.
“This is obviously unfair to the employees and I’ve been lobbying with the authorities to fix this problem as soon as possible,” he said.
A decision on whether it is the federal or the provincial government’s job to issue budget for the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Centre’s employees is yet to be taken.
Rabindra Pradhan, agriculture secretary of Sudurpaschim Province, said it is still not clear on who should pay the employees. “The Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Centre does not come under the provincial government. The employees will have to talk to the federal unit regarding the issue,” said Pradhan.