The recruitment of over 9,000 new employees at various local governments across the country over the past one-and-half years was supposed to help address the human resources crunch in municipalities and rural municipalities in remote regions of the country.

But, more than half of the new staffers seek transfers to more accessible areas, particularly in Kathmandu Valley, according to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Affairs.

This, according to the officials, has created a situation in which local governments in remote regions continue to face a shortage of staffers—hamstringing their ability to deliver services to the local residents.

“Of the 9,000 staffers recruited, around 5,000 seek transfer to more accessible areas,” said Basanta Adhikari, spokesperson for the ministry. “Around 3,000 (a third) of the recruited staffers want a transfer to Kathmandu Valley.”

As per a request from the federal government, the Public Service Commission in May 2019 had recruited 9,161 employees for 515 local governments as they complained about shortage of staffers. The recruitment process faced stern protests over an alleged breach of the jurisdiction and failure to ensure adequate reservations for marginalised groups.

The move was also challenged at the Supreme Court, but after the court gave its go-ahead in July 2019, the commission continued the recruitment process and recommended names of new recruits by the end of last fiscal year (2019-20).

But, just over a year since the recruitment started, new staffers are seeking transfers to urban areas, particularly in Kathmandu. “Many of them have families in Kathmandu and others want to come to Kathmandu to continue their higher studies,” said Adhikari.

After the Cabinet in February opened the door for transfer of local government staffers, the ministry has been flooded with transfer requests.

Most of the applicants have received approvals from local governments where they are currently serving and those who wish to appoint them after the transfer is complete. “Some local governments have approved transfers despite not having vacant seats. Some local governments in remote regions have also approved transfers despite facing a staff crunch,” said Adhikari.

Another official at the ministry said that some of the staffers have sought transfer after concerned local governments refused to accept them.

However, the government has now temporarily suspended local government-to-local government transfers, except for unavoidable circumstances.

A minister-level decision on May 14 stated that transfer of local government staff has been suspended, according to the federal affairs ministry. “The main reason behind suspension of the transfer was that it was affecting the delivery of services in remote regions,” said Adhikari.

In a notice issued on Sunday, the ministry has stated four reasons behind suspension of transfers They are: All the local governments haven’t completed their organisation and management survey, a software managing transfers in local governments is being prepared, some local governments have asked the Provincial Public Service Commission to conduct exams to recruit new staffers, and some local governments have requested a suspension in transfers.

As the provincial legislatures are yet to formulate laws to govern the provincial civil service,, the federal government has been involved in transferring staffers working for local governments.

But, the new federal Civil Service Act is yet to be introduced, given the prolonged deadlock in Parliament. This has prevented provincial and local governments from moving ahead to introduce related laws.

“As provincial and local laws should be consistent with the federal laws, provincial and local governments have been hamstrung by a delay in the rollout of the federal civil service law,” another official at the ministry said.