PM directs secretaries to make service delivery efficient

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has instructed the secretaries of the government to make public service delivery efficient so as to instill a sense of hope in the people.

While giving instructions to the secretaries at Singha Durbar today, he said employees are there to serve not to govern.

Citing a public office in Lalitpur, Prime Minister Oli said that the compulsion of senior citizens having to stand in queue to get services such as passport, citizenship, national identity card etc., is sad.

“We are committed to serving the country and the people. If there is a tendency to not work all day, and take the allowance for working after five o’clock, this should be stopped now”, said Prime Minister Oli.

Prime Minister Oli said that the current government has the task of providing stability, good governance, control of corruption and economic prosperity to the country.

The Prime Minister pointed out the need for the government to pay attention to the development and use of hydroelectric power and to save billions spent on fuel import. He emphasized that the government has the responsibility to fulfill the goals of sustainable development and that the main goal should be to end poverty.

On a different note, Prime Minister Oli said that the situation of non-payment of insurance, VAT refund, payment of farmers’ milk and sugarcane farmers is not good. If payment is not made on time, those who have taken loan and invested will be in trouble and thus modernization of agriculture cannot be achieved.

“Those who do business should be encouraged, but the amount of agricultural subsidy given to individuals has been misused,” he said.

Stating that the new monetary policy created enthusiasm in the market, he pointed out the need to put into practice and drive the market accordingly.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli directed the concerned authorities to bring the Dharahara into operation as soon as possible. “Dharahara has been built but is not operational. The Nepali people also contributed millions of rupees in the campaign ‘I will build my Dharahara’. The people have participated in its reconstruction but they are not able climb the tower. I urged the concerned to bring it into operation as soon as possible.”

He also instructed every ministry to come with a progress report for the first 100 days of the government.

Prime Minister Oli said that the situation where priority projects are not completed for years should be ended. He said the Sagarmatha dialogue should be started as well as the national talent award, which he said was initiated with the money he got as an award and was handed over to the government.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister also expressed concern over the increasing number of air and road accidents. “We have a plan to operate trains and ships. And since there is public demand for train service, it will be our priority.”

He expressed the belief to move forward by addressing the concerns of the businesspersons while taking the private sector on board.