Minister for General Administration Lalbabu Pandit today said he would take action against the civil servants holding foreign permanent residency cards. He put their number as high as 1,100. 

Addressing an interaction here today, the minister said the government did not have the exact number of civil servants holding foreign residency cards but according to guesstimate 1,100 government employees could be holding such cards. Pandit said patriotism of Nepali civil servants holding foreign residency cards was questionable.

He said he was collecting the names of foreign PR holders and once the investigation was over, he would take action against them. Pandit said he would make sure that the visa and residency status of government employees going abroad would be checked at Tribhuvan International Airport and if anybody was found travelling on long duration visa or having green card s/he would be prosecuted. 

He said he had already obtained permission from the Council of Ministers to take action against green card holding civil servants. “Even those who have been promoted will be prosecuted,” he warned. 

Pandit said many civil servants were only concerned about winning US Diversity Lottery Visa and permanent residency cards of other countries. “Those who dream of winning DV Lottery cannot build the country,” he said. Only accountable, disciplined and responsible civil servants can build the country, he added. 

He said he would not tolerate anybody’s interference in his bid to reform the civil service. Pandit said he had been approached by incumbent ministers, non-Nepalis and public administrators to favour certain people in transfers, promotions and postings but he would not tolerate such interventions. “If a civil servant does not care about Nepal all the time, then s/he should be sacked,” Pandit warned. 

The minister, who was associated with trade unions once, said employees’ unions should desist from pressuring the government. “Some joint secretaries and secretaries holding citizenships of other countries were promoted. They will soon be prosecuted,” Pandit warned.

Published on: 31 March 2014 | The Himalayan Times