The government has made it mandatory for all serving and retired civil servants to declare their status on holding permanent residency, diversity visa or green cards of foreign countries.

A Cabinet meeting on Friday agreed in principle on the fourth amendment to the Civil Service Act (CSA) which will set a one-month deadline for serving and retired government employees to declare whether they hold any residency permit or citizenship of a foreign country.

According to Minister for General Administration Lalbabu Pandit, who has been threatening stern action against civil servants holding PR and DV, the Cabinet meeting decided to forward a proposal to the Bills Committee of the Cabinet for further consideration. “After nod from the Committee, the proposal will be submitted to the Public Service Commission. Once okayed by the PSC, we will table an ordinance in Parliament,” he added.

The amendment states that any civil servant who has got a PR or DV should declare their status within one month of the passage of the Act from Parliament. They will be given another month to provide documents and affidavits that they have forgone such privilege, if any. “Even after two months, if any civil servant does not give up the status, s/he will be sacked from service,” said Pandit.

As per the amendment, those sacked from the service will be entitled to money deposited in their provident fund and insurance coverage only. In case of retired employees holding PR or citizenship of another country, they will be denied pension.

The ministry has put 1,200 names of staffers on its black list so far. Minister Pandit has refused to approve promotion and transfer of some senior government officials holding Green Card in the US and PR in Australia.

For the first time, the government will bar civil servants from working as consultants in NGOs and INGOs. It also objects to officials teaching in private institutions as experts. “If any one is found to be working as a consultant or teaching, they will be sacked immediately,” Pandit warned.

Published on:  03 May 2014 | Kantipur