. A meeting of secretaries held in Singha Durbar on Tuesday decided to recommend a 20 percent reduction in staff.

The government has decided to reduce the number of posts in government ministries, commissions, secretariats and offices by 20 percent.

The meeting also decided not to allow any government employees to take meeting allowance, to organize all programmes to be carried out by the offices concerned in the government buildings and halls to bring austerity in public expenditure, to scrap unnecessary entry permits issued by the ministries and bodies for entry to Singha Durbar, to give priority to domestic production in the purchase of furniture and other goods that needed to be destroyed during the agitation.

The meeting also pledged that all civil servants would actively participate in conducting the general election in a free, fair and fear-free environment on March 4.

Education, drinking water, health treatment, public transport, food and medicine supply, telephone, electricity and justice delivery among other essential services would not be disrupted.

The government offices have decided to establish temporary offices, shift them to other government offices or start their regular work by renting a house as per the situation.

The concerned ministries and bodies have decided to prepare the details of the actual damage to physical structures, equipments, vehicles, furniture, information system and others that were damaged by the arson and vandalism during the agitation.

The concerned ministries and bodies have decided to start works immediately after preparing a detailed action plan of the works to be carried out to address the damage.

The National Planning Commission (NPC) has decided to carry out the post-disaster assessment of the damaged structures in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

Reconstruction, maintenance and purchase of materials of damaged structures will be forwarded immediately as per the provisions of the existing Public Procurement Act and Regulations. The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and the Public Procurement Monitoring Office have been decided to immediately initiate the process of amending the existing Acts and Regulations if the existing Procurement Acts and Regulations are found difficult to purchase goods through a smooth and speedy manner.

The vehicles that cannot be used due to the fire and vandalism in the Singha Durbar premises and various machines, equipment and furniture destroyed by the fire or vandalism will be stored at the rear of the International Convention Centre, New Baneshwor for the time being. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Urban Development have made arrangements to shift the damaged vehicles, equipment and furniture from the Singha Durbar premises to the International Convention Centre, New Baneshwor.

To bring austerity in public expenditure in the current difficult situation. No employee of the Government of Nepal shall receive meeting allowance. To organize all national level seminars, seminars, workshops, interactions and other programs to be organized by the office in government buildings and halls. It has been decided to request the state and local levels to do the same.

All ministries and agencies shall not implement projects that have not been liable in case of small amount allocated in the current fiscal year. It has been decided to transfer the amount allocated for the reconstruction and maintenance of damaged structures and for the purchase of machinery and equipment.

During the agitation, it has been decided to purchase furniture and other items to be purchased by giving priority to domestic production.

It has been decided to immediately scrap or amend the standards, procedures and guidelines that are seen as obstacles in making the public service delivery and decision-making process efficient, economical and effective.

It has been decided that the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration would immediately fill the vacancy in the offices where there is a vacancy in the offices which are supposed to provide direct service to the citizens.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies will be responsible for easy supply of food and other necessities of the people, control of black marketing and market monitoring in the context of the approaching festivals. Likewise, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport will coordinate the management of public transport in order to facilitate movement targeting the festivals.

The government has decided to submit the revised vacancy structure to the Council of Ministers by Assoj 20, 2082 BS for approval by reducing the posts in the ministries, commissions, secretariats and offices of the Government of Nepal by 20 percent.

The government secretaries at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers will coordinate with the ministries concerned to immediately expedite the process of dismissal, merger and handover of government structures and bodies that seem redundant.

A taskforce comprising Secretary of Urban Development, Secretary of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and Secretary of Revenue will be formed under the coordination of Secretary looking after the government sector at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

Revoke the previous entry passes issued by the ministries and agencies in Singha Durbar. It has been decided that a new entry pass can be issued in case of emergency.

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration shall forward the necessary process to fill up and evaluate performance evaluation forms as per the provisions of the Civil Service Act and Regulations as the performance evaluation forms of some employees were found destroyed in the fire in the office. It has been decided that in case the property details collected are burnt, the body collecting such details will inform the concerned person and officials to fill up the property details and submit them again.

Thanking all the civil servants who worked day and night to deliver service even in difficult circumstances, it has been decided to work with high morale to increase citizens’ confidence in the government by providing service more effectively and quickly in the coming days.

It has been decided to call on the public to return the stolen goods from various government agencies, corporations, private houses and business establishments to the concerned body or the nearest police post.