Kathmandu. The government has issued guidelines aimed at bringing uniformity in the application form used for public services provided by government offices.

The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has issued the ‘Application Form and its Implementation Guideline, 2083 BS’ and directed all government offices to implement it, according to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

The Office has issued guidelines to make service delivery simple, easy, effective, service-friendly and information technology-based, ending the use of different application formats for similar services provided by the government offices.

According to the guideline, all government and public bodies at the federal, provincial and local levels should prepare and implement a separate form of application for each public service they provide. The form of the application should be simple, clear and should be prepared in Nepali language and English language as per the requirement. Such format should be prepared in such a way that it can be used digitally as well.

The form of the application must include the name of the office providing the service, the details of the application, the service demanded, the self-declaration required, the date, the signature of the applicant, the list of documents to be attached and other details required for the purpose of the office.

Each government office shall prepare a list of each service provided by the office within seven days from the date of the implementation of this directive. After that, the application format for each service should be prepared and approved by the head of the office. The approved format should be published on the notice board and website of the office and arrangements should be made to make it available to the service recipients free of cost.

The government has made it mandatory for every office to provide the application format using latest technology such as its website, QR code, electronic form and downloadable PDF to give a concrete shape to the paperless service. Each office shall establish a ‘Service Recipient Help Desk’ to prepare application to the service recipients, fill up forms and provide information about the required documents and service-related issues. The services provided by the help desk should be free of cost.

The directive also directs the service recipients not to encourage any person or organization not to charge fees unauthorizedly in or around the office premises in the name of preparing applications, filling up forms or arranging necessary documents. Necessary managerial and security measures should be adopted to discourage obstructing the access of service recipients to the office premises, unauthorized facilitation of service or mediation for financial gains.

Similarly, the service recipients should have to make arrangements to download, fill, print or submit their own application online. Computers, tablets or digital kiosks should be arranged and technical assistance should be provided from the service seeker help desk to the service recipients who are unable to avail the service on their own.

The guidelines will be monitored by the National Vigilance Centre and the vigilance officer designated by the Centre. During the monitoring, the status of implementation can be evaluated through on-site inspection, record check, examination of the electronic system and complaints and feedback from the service recipients.

Each office has to prepare a progress report on the implementation of the guidelines in the format as determined by the National Vigilance Centre within three months and send it to the centre. Based on the report received and monitoring, the National Vigilance Centre can give directives to the bodies concerned for necessary improvements.

As per the provision, the National Vigilance Centre or the designated authority can recommend to the concerned body for action in accordance with the prevailing laws in the case of the office or the responsible official who does not follow the guidelines, deliberately obstructs the implementation or creates obstruction. The concerned ministry may encourage and honour the office or office bearer performing the best.

According to the guideline, the form of application and details related to services required for the services to be provided by the government offices should be updated at least once a year or as per the need. Provision has also been made that the concerned ministry, agency or local level can remove such obstacles by taking necessary decision in case any obstacles arise in course of implementation.